Fireground Operations & Tactics » Technical Reports

The Danvers Butchery Meat Market and Cold Storage Fire (Danvers, Massachusetts - August 13, 2002)
In the early morning hours of August 13, 2002, Danvers, Massachusetts fire personnel were on the scene of a stubborn fire in a 30 yard dumpster packed with construction debris. Meanwhile, an arsonist allegedly set a fire outside The Danvers Butchery one mile away. The ignition location was both behind a fence and blocked from any neighbor’s view by a tree line. The time of day, approximately 03:00 hours, also made it unlikely that anyone would notice.

Fire in a Tire Recycling Facility - (Nebraska City, Nebraska - January 23 to February 3, 2001)
The members of the Nebraska City Fire Department were dispatched to a reported chimney fire at a housing complex for the elderly at 02:54 hours on the morning of Wednesday January 23, 2002. The first engine company to arrive on the scene discovered that the fire was actually located a few blocks away at the EnTire Recycling Center. The facility chips up old tires and produces a raw product that is used to manufacture synthetic athletic turf and playground surfaces.

CSX Tunnel Fire (Baltimore, MD - July 18, 2001)
At 3:07 p.m. on Wednesday, July 18, 2001, a CSX Transportation train derailed in the Howard Street Tunnel under the streets of Baltimore, Maryland. Complicating the scenario was the subsequent rupture in a 40-inch water main that ran directly above the tunnel. The flooding hampered extinguishing efforts, collapsed several city streets, knocked out electricity to about 1,200 Baltimore Gas and Electric customers, and flooded nearby buildings. The crash interrupted a major line associated with the Internet and an MCI WorldCom fiber optic telephone cable.

Kona Village Apartments Fire (Bremerton, WA - November 13, 1997)
On November 13, 1997, an early morning fire in a large apartment building in Bremerton, WA, caused the death of four elderly residents and forced the evacuation of an additional 150 residents. Estimated property damage was in excess of $7.5 million.

LP-Gas Tank Explosion Kills Two Volunteer Firefighters (Carthage, Illinois - October 2, 1997)
On Thursday October 2, 1997, two Carthage, Illinois Fire Department volunteer firefighters died, one was seriously injured, and another was injured when a horizontal liquefied petroleum gas (LP-Gas) tank BLEVE’d (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion). The rocketing tank struck them as they prepared to advance pre-connected hoselines from their high-pressure fog pumper about eight minutes after their arrival. The first fire company to arrive on the scene to a reported dryer fire found not only the grain dryer fire but also 30 to 40 foot intermittent fire plumes from the safety relief valves on two 1,000 gallon LP-Gas tanks, and a fully involved field tractor. Deciding on a direct attack, the first-in fire officer positioned the engine and firefighters behind a large grain silo 100 feet away from the burning tanks. But the engine’s tailboard extended beyond the silo’s vertical edge and was nearly inline with the end of one of the tanks. Three of the firefighters were advancing around the rear of the tailboard when a large tank section struck them.

Sprinklered Records Storage Facility Fire - (Chicago, Illinois - October 29, 1996)
On Tuesday October 29, 1996, a still alarm was sounded for a fire in an automatic sprinkler protected records archive building shortly before 2 p.m. Before the fire was declared under control nearly ten hours later, it had reached the fourth alarm level with a commitment of 17 engines, 9 trucks and tower ladders, a squad and several additional special pieces of equipment. The last fire company left the scene about 5 p.m. on November 7, 1996 and a full box alarm assignment was involved in overhaul operations for over 24 hours after the fire.

Old Buckingham Station Apartment Complex Fire - (Chesterfield, Virginia - May 19, 1995)
On Friday, May 19, 1995 at 1:46 a.m., the Chesterfield County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 telephone report of a fire in the sprinklered Lodge Building at the Old Buckingham Station apartment complex. This X-shaped, three and four story, wood frame structure was the largest building in the complex and contained the management offices, social function room, and 58 apartments.

Structural Collapse at Dwelling Fire Results in Two Firefighter Fatalities - (Stockton, California - February 6, 1997)
Two firefighter fatalities and one civilian fatality occurred in a single family residential dwelling fire. The second floor addition collapsed during suppression operations, trapping the firefighters. A captain was also trapped under the debris, sustaining serious injuries, but was later successfully rescued.

Broward Marine Fire - (Fort Lauderdale, Florida - September 5, 1996)
An early morning fire destroyed the Broward Marine boat manufacturing facility in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and caused extensive damage to several yachts under construction at the facility. The firestorm spread large embers throughout the area, causing spot fires throughout the property and damaging several boats moored near the site. The resulting smoke column was visible from as far as seven miles away.

$15 Million Sight and Sound Theater Fire and Building Collapse - (Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - January 1997)
On the morning of January 28, 1997, in the Lancaster County, Pennsylvania township of Strasburg, a fire caused the collapse of the state-of-the-art, seven year old Sight and Sound Theater and resulted in structural damage to most of the connecting buildings. The theater was a total loss, valued at over $15 million.

Two Fatality Board and Care Facility Fire Salvation Army Rehabilitation Center - (Miami, Florida - November 11, 1995)
On November 12, 1995, a late night arson fire heavily damaged the second and third floors of a Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center in Miami, Florida, and claimed the lives of two residents. Dozens of residents had to be rescued by fire fighters using ground ladders, assisted by some of the early evacuees. Many of the 98 residents who escaped required treatment for smoke inhalation; three were transported in critical condition to local hospitals.

Live Oak/Milstar Complex and Carpet Service Center Fire - (LaGrange, Georgia - January 31, 1995)
An afternoon fire on Tuesday, January 31, 1995 destroyed Milliken & Company’s Live Oak/Milstar Complex and Carpet Service Center. This was an approximately 600,000 square feet, fully sprinklered carpet manufacturing, warehousing, cutting and distribution facility. The fire began shortly before 2:00 p.m. in the northeast corner of the primarily single story structure in the carpet manufacturing area. The fire initially involved a laminating machine, which attaches carpet to different types of backing. The fire quickly overtaxed the wet pipe automatic sprinkler protection resulting in collapse of the roof and major structural elements within 10 to 20 minutes of the fire’s start. The direct dollar loss to building and contents has been estimated at over $190 million and the total loss at over $400 million.

Sodium Explosion Critically Burns Firefighters - (Newton, Massachusetts - October 25, 1993)
Eleven firefighters were burned, six seriously, one critically, and one extremely critically, in an explosion that occurred while they were attempting to extinguish a sodium fire in a metals processing establishment in Newton, Massachusetts on October 25, 1993. The incident illustrates how quickly and unpredictably an apparently minor hazardous materials situation can change, with tragic consequences. It also shows how standard protective clothing and equipment, designed for structural fire fighting, is dangerously inadequate for a molten metals incident.

Apartment Complex Fire, 66 Units Destroyed (Seattle, WA - September 1991)
A combination of Seattle Fire Department rescue efforts and tenants helping each other resulted in no fatalities for one of the city's largest residential fires in 20 years.

Massive Leak of Liquified Chlorine Gas - (Henderson, Nevada - May 6, 1991)
A massive leak of liquified chlorine gas created a dangerous cloud of poison gas over the city of Henderson, Nevada, in the early morning hours of May 6, 1991. Over 200 persons were examined at a local hospital for respiratory distress caused by inhalation of the chlorine and approximately 30 were admitted for treatment. Approximately 700 individuals were taken to shelters. It is estimated that from 2,000 to 7,000 individuals were taken elsewhere.

$10 Million Marina Fire - (Bohemia Bay, Maryland - January 6, 1989)
On Friday, January 6, 1989 at 0242, Cecil County, Maryland fire head-quarters received a call from a resident located three-quarters of a mile across the river from the Bohemia Bay Marina. The caller thought he could see a fire at a marina around Bohemia Bay, but due to poor visibility caused by snowfall as well as the distance and time of night, he could not be certain as to its exact location. The fire dispatcher immediately contacted the state police.

Six Firefighter Fatalities in Construction Site Explosion - (Kansas City, Missouri -November 29, 1988)
The Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department lost six firefighters and their vehicles - two entire pumper companies - in an explosion that occurred while they were extinguishing a fire at a construction site. The fire involved a trailer/magazine containing blasting mixtures of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil, most containing aluminum pellets, too. The fire also involved two other vehicles and ultimately a second trailer/magazine that also exploded.

Swimming Pool Chemical Plant Fire - (Springfield, Massachusetts - June 17, 1988)
One of the most challenging problems facing the fire service today is the combined fire and hazardous/toxic chemical incident. Decisions have to be made regarding the timing of fire fighting activities with respect to evacuation priorities. In many cases, a decision must be made as to whether or not to fight the fire at all. Where the chemicals or products involved are water reactive, fighting the fire may make matters worse, endangering the firefighters or the general population.

Conservative Approach to Chemical Plant Fire (Ventura County, California)
A fire in a chemical plant in Saticoy, California destroyed the plant and two adjoining occupancies and caused the community's 1,500 residents to be evacuated for 10 hours on April 10, 1989. Two firefighters were treated for exposure to toxic products, and 14 others were evaluated at a hospital for potential exposure. Clean-up and decontamination after the fire are expected to cost more than $200,000, and involve removal of the entire contents of the plant and recovery of runoff and contaminated soil in the surrounding area.

Emergency Incident Rehabilitation
The physical and mental demands associated with firefighting and other emergency operations, coupled with the environmental dangers of extreme heat and humidity or extreme cold, create conditions that can have an adverse impact upon the safety and health of the individual emergency responder. Members who are not provided adequate rest and rehydration during emergency operations or training exercises are at increased risk for illness or injury, and may jeopardize the safety of others on the incident scene. When emergency responders become fatigued, their ability to operate safely is impared. As a result, their reaction time is reduced and their ability to make critical decisions diminishes. Rehabilitation is an essential element on the incident scene to prevent more serious conditions such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke from occuring.

Alive on Arrival - Tips for Safe Emergency Vehicle Operations
Tips for Safe Emergency Vehicle Operations.