Hotwork Accidents #9
This page was last updated on 05/06/2010
Ephrata KFC Has Second Fire In 6 Months; Fire Damage Limited
March 13, 2003
EPHRATA, Pa. — For the second time in six months there has been a fire at a fast-food restaurant in Lancaster County. The fire broke out Thursday morning at the Kentucky Fried Chicken on North Reading Road in Ephrata. Firefighters said the blaze started while a welder was working on an exhaust fan. There was only damage to an exhaust hood. In September, there was a fire at the restaurant that caused heavy damage to the building. The restaurant is still under construction from that fire. It is scheduled to open in three weeks.
UPDATE Maintenance mishap to blame
By RAQUEL EXNER, EDMONTON SUN
Maintenance workers at Ashbury Place were trying to thaw a frozen drainage line with a blowtorch when yesterday’s fire broke out. Bill Watt, a maintenance man at the apartment building, said the line – traced to the parkade – was frozen and was causing water to leak into a suite. A couple of maintenance workers decided to use the torch and when some surrounding insulation caught fire, they used fire extinguishers to try and douse the blaze, he said. Watt then arrived on scene and also used a fire extinguisher to battle the blaze – but the fire wouldn’t go out. “There were fire extinguishers right there,” he said. “They were not going about this amateurly. They were well prepared.” Fire investigators confirmed the torch ignited the insulation, which contained some cardboard, sparking the two-alarm blaze. “It’s hard to see it go down,” said Watt as he stood staring in disbelief at smoke pouring out of the building yesterday afternoon. “We put in security cameras, were just finishing off the roof, and put in hardwood and lino. The owner just purchased (the building) in mid-December.” Late yesterday, Watt reached the owner, Allen Wasnea, who was out of the country on vacation. “He wasn’t happy about it,” said Watt. “He asked how it happened and said to make arrangements to find vacant suites (in other buildings he owns for the tenants).” Watt, relieved to later hear that the five trapped firefighters were all safe, said the owner changed the face of the neighbourhood by renovating old buildings and cleaning up the area. The fire comes five months after a deadly apartment blaze in the neighbourhood. A 48-year-old man died when he jumped from a burning suite at the River Valley Inn, 9710 105 St., and others had to be rescued from the 12-floor building. Five members of the Edmonton Eskimos football team who lived in the building rescued one woman who jumped to safety from the fourth floor.
Fire guts house
Barrie Examiner Wednesday, March 12, 2003 – 07:00
Local News – Bright red Christmas ribbons are practically all that is left of a home that was gutted by fire yesterday on 8 Maw Court in Barrie. A plumber’s soldering torch set off the blaze in the basement of the north-end home. Within seconds it got out of control and engulfed the entire home in flames at about 10 a.m. More than a dozen firefighters were called into action. A retired couple and their mother all got away safely when the plumber alerted them to the fire. “It really went up fast,” said the plumber, Jerry Johnson, who explained he was using a soldering torch when plastic insulation covering (vapor barrier) caught fire while he was doing some repairs. “When I realized I couldn’t control it, I got everybody out.” He said the mother, who was well into her eighties, did not want to leave the home. “She was sort of in shock and she just didn’t want to come out,” said Johnson. “I just grabbed her and took her out so that she was safe,” he said. “I can’t believe this,” said a grief-stricken home owner Linda Wozniak, as she walked away from her home that backs on to a quiet ravine. “I just want to get my mother to a safe place.” Her tiny mother, dressed in a skirt with pink-and-white sneakers and socks and bundled in a winter coat, clutched a plastic white shopping bag while fire fighter Tony Weir and the plumber gently held her elbows as they escorted her to a waiting car. “I just don’t know what will happen next” said Wozniak, in shock. “I can’t believe it. I don’t even know if my cat survived … I don’t know anything.” But a neighbour, who did not want to be named, said the little black and white calico cat was “safe and sound” after she brought it to her home. Several people witnessed the smoke billowing out of the bungalow that sits in an eight-year-old subdivision just off Ferndale Road in the north end of Barrie. “I just feel sick for those poor people,” said neighbour Arlene Lougheed as she clutched her hands to her chest and looked out her living room window, watching as flames licked through blackened windows of the home. “We didn’t know them well, but we often saw them out puttering in their beautiful garden.” Standing beside her, her husband Dan said he was shocked with how fast the home went up in smoke. “At first it looked like an innocent puff of smoke,” he said. “It spread so fast. Within minutes there were thick, black, dark clouds of smoke billowing out the windows in huge puffs.” While a bitter wind blew, it carried with it the acrid smell of smoke several blocks away from the scene, where walkers had to cover their noses and mouths with coat collars. Assistant fire chief Terry Dicks said it is undetermined whether the fire that started with the plastic insulation covering also ignited the underlying insulation. “In most cases the insulation is fairly fire retardant,” he said. “We are still investigating. Bottom line is … fire is unpredictable and any accident can happen in any house.” The owners did have home insurance and smoke detectors were installed in the house.
Man hurt in fuel depot blast
12mar03
A MAN is in a serious condition in hospital following an explosion at a Canberra fuel depot. It is the second industrial accident in a week following an electrocution at a building site. man aged in his mid-20s was welding at the depot in Fyshwick about 3.15pm when an explosion occurred, ACT Police said. He was taken to Canberra Hospital in a serious condition. No details were available on his injuries. Last wednesday, 34-year-old Craig Francis Ryan from Kambah died after being electrocuted on a building site in Fyshwick. ACT WorkCover is investigating both incidents.
Blaze traced to stairwell; NO ONE INJURED; WELDER’S WORK EYED AS CAUSE
By Valarie Honeycutt Spears And Laura Yuen HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER
Lexington fire officials are investigating whether a welder might have started a fire that apparently began in an open stairwell and raced through an apartment building yesterday, forcing at least 14 residents to move to undamaged apartments in the same complex. One cat was reportedly killed by the fire that began about 9:49 a.m., but no one had been reported injured by late yesterday at the Steeplechase Apartments at 305 Lindenhurst Drive. The private contractor apparently was working on a metal stairway on the outside of the building, Battalion Chief Jim Wells said. Wells said the fire could have started inside the building by the heat conducted from the torch or on the outside from the torch’s flame, Wells said. Ten minutes might have passed before the welder noticed the fire, Wells said. Firefighters expected to contend with hidden fires and smoldering remains until at least 7 a.m. today, said Capt. Mike Gribbin. The cause of the blaze was still under investigation, Fire Chief Robert Hendricks. said, but fire officials said yesterday it probably was accidental. Amy Brunstetter, whose apartment was gutted, said she sat straight up in bed at the sound of two ringing fire alarms. Smoke filled her living room and was seeping under her bedroom door. “I got my animals out and went outside. Smoke was pouring out of the building, flames were engulfing the chimney. … My window imploded,” she said. Brunstetter, a massage therapist, said she expected that the Salvation Army and family and friends would all pitch in to help her replace what she had lost. “I think somebody has already notified my church,” she said. By mid-afternoon, Brunstetter could account for her dog, but hadn’t seen her two cats. In all, 16 units in one building were either destroyed or heavily damaged by the fire, but no one was living in two of the apartments, Hendricks said. In addition to being offered living arrangements in other Steeplechase apartments, residents had their immediate needs assessed by representatives of the American Red Cross by 2:30 p.m., Steeplechase officials said.
Fire damages building, organization’s efforts
By Bill Teeter Star-Telegram Staff Writer
FORT WORTH – A welding torch sparked a fire that burned a portion of Southside Preservation Hall in the Fairmount neighborhood, leaving the non-profit group that owns it wondering whether the flames had consumed eight years of restoration work. The fire started in the northeast corner of the first floor of the 3-story, 1923 add-on to the 1909 church building operated by the Southside Preservation Association, said Fire Department Lt. Kent Worley. The fire was reported at 3:50 p.m., and firefighters needed about 45 minutes to put it out, Worley said. No injuries were reported and no estimate of the amount of the damage had been made Sunday night. A welder had been working Sunday to repair some bars over a window. Smoldering materials left after the job caused the fire, Worley said. Most of the fire, heat and smoke damage was in the northeast corner of the old church school, he said. Wooden structural pieces in the building burned readily, making firefighting tougher, he said. “There were a lot of heavy timbers that were put in there when it was built,” he said. Many in the area consider the building at 1519 Lipscomb St. historically important, and it is used for a variety of community functions, including meetings of the Fairmount Neighborhood Association and swing dance lessons. It also houses the offices for Southside Preservation, a group dedicated to preserving buildings and homes in the area, said Rose Lynn Scott, the group’s director. As smoke billowed from the upper windows and firefighters moved in and out of the building, Scott reflected on the work that had gone into it and the work that was yet to be done. She wondered if the group would have the resources to fix the damage. “I certainly hope it’s not beyond saving. It looks like our job just got tougher, or it’s over. One of the two,” Scott said. The initial occupant, Central Methodist Church, moved out of the building in 1969, and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Fort Worth occupied it from 1969 to 1995, she said. In 1995, the building was threatened with demolition, but the nonprofit association took control of it, paying $10 to the Boys & Girls Club. Marianna Thrapp, treasurer of the neighborhood association, said as she watched firefighters work: “It’s our gem. It’s good for the neighborhood. ‘”If there is a need, I’ll go crawling through there and clean it up and we’ll start again,” Thrapp said. One resident who called the fire department was Carlos Serna, 31, who was at a nearby cookout when the thick smoke wafted through the neighborhood. Serna said he dialed 911 on his mobile telephone and watched as flames came through the windows and lapped far up the side of the building.
Blaze damages railcar
March 8th, 2003 By Nathan Isaacs Herald staff writer
Work to refurbish a railcar at Gunderson Northwest in Finley likely caused an insulation fire Friday. Firefighters from Benton County Fire District 1 had to take precautions against toxic smoke while fighting the blaze. Capt. Jeff Ripley said the railcar’s polyurethane foam insulation is toxic when it burns. But he said the smoke quickly dissipated as it was blown east, away from nearby homes. He said no residents were in danger and no one was injured. Gunderson Northwest employees continued to work while firefighters fought the fire. Firefighters were called at 11:10 a.m. to the 40-acre facility on Cochran Road. Ripley said the fire was probably caused by grinding or welding work in the boxcar. The railcar looked ravaged, but Ripley believes it may be salvageable. After all, he said, Gunderson Northwest’s business is refurbishing. Gunderson Northwest services about 1,800 railcars a year for 25 different customers across the country. The company recently signed a $20 million contract between Greenbrier and refrigerated boxcar leasing company Cryo-Trans Inc. to build and modify more than 200 railcars with nose-mount refrigeration units and global positioning systems.
UPDATE Company to pay $33,000 after worker dies
Triple R Engineering prosecuted by OSH after a worker was severely burnt in an explosion. A North Island engineering firm has been sentenced to pay $33,000 after one of its workers died following an explosion. Triple R Engineering was prosecuted in the Palmnerston North District Court by OSH after the worker was severely burnt in the explosion and died five weeks later. Occupational Safety and Health Service says the accident happened when the worker was conducting welding work on a dual-compartment fuel tank which had contained diesel and petrol. The tank exploded, causing fatal injuries. OSH spokeswoman Linda Murphy says $20,000 of the money has gone to the victim’s family. She says the company failed to identify the hazards involved in doing this work and did not have proper safety procedures in place to prevent this accident happening. Another firm, Abrasive Blast Cleaning Ltd, was also prosecuted last year in relation to this accident. They pleaded guilty to four charges and were sentenced to pay $27,500.
Fire, explosions destroy building
By RAED BATTAH NEW ERA / DANNY VOWELL
Fire raced through a building on Mitch Lane Tuesday, leading to several explosions but luckily no injuries. Clay Mohon, of Northridge Drive, owns and manages Mohon Mowing Service, which was housed in the 40-foot by 80-foot building. Mohon said the fire destroyed all of his equipment including three tractors and three mowers. “Everything got burned,” Mohon said. “But, luckily no one was hurt and that’s all that matters.” Mohon said at least three of his employees were in the building but were able to get out unharmed. David Grace owns the building, which housed Mohon’s business, in addition to four other buildings nearby. Grace said it was hard to tell exactly what happened. “I know it got hot,” Grace said. “You can see some of the roofing on the adjacent building bubbling from the heat.” While the cause is still under investigation, the fire is believed to have started when sparks from either a welding or cutting torch ignited material nearby and spread quickly throughout the building. The fire made its way t an acetylene tank used for cutting torches, causing the tank to explode. The explosion blew out the southern wall of the building, sending cinder block debris all over the side drive of the building. West Side Volunteer Fire Department Capt. Beverly Farrington said black smoke from the fire was visible from several miles away. “It looks like it may have been a repair accident,” Farrington said. “They do a lot of welding and cutting work on their equipment in there.” “There were at least three or four explosions,” one witness said. “I stopped counting after that.” The other explosions were likely gas tanks on some of the equipment stored in the building. Jamie Butler, an employee at neighboring Maxwell Automotive, said he and co-workers tried to help with fire extinguishers but were too late. “By the time we made it over the whole inside was on fire,” Butler said. “Then the fire caught the tanks and blew out the wall.” The fire completely destroyed the building and all of its contents. Farrington said there appeared to be no danger from any chemicals that may have burned in the fire. “If we suspected some serious chemical problems we would call the Hazardous Material Team or Disaster Emergency Services (DES). West Side Volunteer Fire Department was backed up by Highland Fire Department to control the scene. The blaze occurred around 3:30 Tuesday afternoon.
UPDATE Trash transfer station to reopen on Friday
MIKE ACKERMAN, Dispatch Staff Writer March 05, 2003
SULLIVAN – The Madison County Department of Solid Waste and Sanitation is set to reopen the Bolivar Road transfer station, which burned February 7 when debris in a portion of the trash compactor caught fire after welders had worked on a section of wall. According to county landfill director Jim Zecca, debris from the fire has been removed from the facility and operation will resume Friday, March 7. “This is an interim measure that will satisfy the needs of the region pending a final decision regarding the construction of a new transfer station,” Zecca said. ustomers will find the same services available, said Zecca, with hours of operation staying the same, Fridays and Saturdays from 7:10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The site has been reconfigured with a new traffic pattern. Trash will be placed in designated containers for an interim period. According to Zecca, the fire started long after the welders had left the scene. An apparent spill-over of trash behind the compactor smoldered for several hours before the fire was noticed by a Chittenango police officer. Zecca said the welding was routine maintenance and was performed properly with employees dousing the compactor with water before commencing the welding procedure. “It must have been a pile of trash debris on the back side of the compactor that built up over time,” said Zecca after the fire. Since the fire, Sullivan residents have had to travel to either the transfer station in Cazenovia or to the main landfill in Lincoln. The station was closed for investigative and insurance reasons since the fire. The fire destroyed the transfer station building and completely burned a skid loader. “Safety is our top concern,” he said. “Once the site was clear we were able to position receptacles for disposal of trash and recyclables and establish a new traffic pattern,” Zecca added that the interim setup may be a bit awkward and slow at first, but it was his hope that users would be patient. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Madison County bridge crew and the Town of Sullivan Highway Department for assisting the Department of Solid Waste in removing the charred structure and clearing the Bolivar site, making it possible for us to reopen.” During a recent Solid Waste and Recycling Committee meeting, the committee instructed engineering firm Barton and Loguidice, to design plans for a new station building, assuming the transfer station can be built within the preliminary cost estimates provided by the firm. “We hope to finalize plans with the county board of supervisors and bid out construction by early spring,” Zecca said.
UPDATE Propane torch likely cause of blaze, investigators say
By MARLA CRANSTON The Daily News
A propane torch used by roofing contractors was the likely culprit behind last week’s blaze on Gottingen Street, Halifax regional fire investigators confirmed Monday. No criminal charges are pending in the accidental fire, which left 20 people homeless and destroyed three businesses, fire-prevention manager Mike LeRue and Craig MacDonald told a news conference at Halifax City Hall. The problems began when workmen from Five Star Roofing and Masonry repaired an outdoor canopy above the first floor of 2098 Gottingen St. “They were applying a roofing membrane that requires a propane torch to heat it to cause it to seal, to set it in place. This is a normal practice, and there are precautions that should be taken,” said MacDonald, adding on-site fire extinguishers and a fire-safety plan were in place at the time. But the torch heated up a nearby wallspace, and the smouldering spread throughout the building’s walls, floors and ceilings for 45 minutes before any flames were visible. Tenant John Bouris, also a contractor, spotted smoke coming up through his living room floorboards, alerting the roofers immediately. They used fire extinguishers and buckets of water on the area, and made periodic checks afterward. “I think it was an honest mistake,” Bouris said as he wandered around the rubble looking for his cat Geronimo, missing since the fire. “It’s a tricky business using torches on old houses. You have to be really, really careful, and they know that. I’m sure they feel badly enough. I’m just glad everybody got out.” Bouris and partner Sheila Burke, who owned the Glamourama clothing store underneath their flat, lost everything. They had tried to get insurance several times, but were declined. Bouris hopes tenants will be fully compensated for their losses, but in the meantime, he’s heartened by the fundraising efforts underway. “People have been wonderful. I’m amazed at their generosity,” he said. Tonight, the Khyber Club at 1588 Barrington St. hosts a benefit show with Superfriendz, Dusty Sorbet and The Debonnaires, starting at 9 p.m. for a suggested donation of $8. After raising $1,000 on Sunday, the Marquee Club hosts another benefit show March 15 with The Heelwalkers and guests. Metro’s Royal Bank branches are also taking donations for the North End Fire Relief Fund, through account number 1021195, transit 0003. The roofing company and property owner Steve Abbass, who also lost his home in the fire, did not return calls yesterday.
Fire ruins car dealership
Tuesday, March 4, 2003 By AMY KLEIN Staff Writer
CLIFFSIDE PARK – An intense fire triggered by a gasoline-tank explosion raged through a family-owned auto dealership Monday, totaling the building and reducing a fleet of pickup trucks and sedans to skeletons. No one was injured in the blaze at C & C Ford that took about 100 firefighters from nine towns two hours to extinguish, said Cliffside Park Fire Chief Frank Poerio. Fire officials evacuated the block around the dealership at 508 Anderson Ave., near Edgewater Road, along with some homes and a nearby day-care center. Plumes of smoke could be seen for miles. Monday’s fire was the second blaze in nine months to destroy a family-owned Anderson Avenue business. In June, an electrical fire gutted the Garden State News convenience store several blocks north. The Ford dealership, which the Cella family has owned for more than three decades, was a second home for the 25 employees who worked in the small showroom and service area. Owner Bill Cella said his business was known as the place where people came to get their first car – and then returned to get their teenager’s first vehicle. He said he plans to rebuild. “The most important thing was that we got everyone out safely,” Cella said, staring at the hole where the front windows of his showroom once were. Twenty to 30 cars were inside the showroom and service area at the time. Huddled in the parking lot of A.K. Macagna Funeral Home across the street, many longtime employees mourned the loss, as car horns blared and tires popped in the smoldering ruins Monday afternoon. “This is a piece of me, a piece of home,” said Ruth Strobel, the dealership’s office manager, who worked for C & C for 14 years. “We all love each other,” said Janice Banomo, Strobel’s assistant. Strobel was at her desk on the second floor around noon when the fire alarm sounded and she heard people yelling to get out. Terrified, she and other employees fled down a flight of stairs, through a smoky hallway, and out into the cold. Kendal Brown, who ran the prep department in the basement of the dealership, said the fire began when an employee was using a welding machine and a gasoline tank in a nearby bay fell over. The sparks from the torch ignited the leaking gas, Brown said. Poerio said an investigation into the exact cause of the blaze had not been completed as of Monday afternoon, but preliminary reports confirmed Brown’s account. Responding to a report of a car fire, firefighters who arrived at the back of the building were surprised when an explosion suddenly sent flames through the roof, he said. “That gas tank let loose and the whole building went up,” Poerio said. The explosion singed the side of a Fairview ladder truck parked in front of the dealership, melting its lights and shattering the windows. A Fairview fire official said the ladder would have to be tested to determine whether the truck was destroyed. An adjacent nail salon was partially damaged by smoke, but there was little damage to other businesses, fire officials said.
Montana Digest: Welding accident causes fire
Associated Press News briefs
MISSOULA (AP) – A Missoula man who died in an apartment fire accidentally set the blaze while welding, Missoula County Sheriff’s Captain Don Morman said Friday. Ronald Albert Coward, 37, died Thursday afternoon. The state crime lab is doing an autopsy. Coward, who had cerebral palsy and used a wheelchair, made a 911 call at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday after a small welding unit he was using ignited his clothes, fire inspector Jason Diehl said.
UPDATE Police detain Vietnamese-American man for his role in deadly fire
The Associated Press HANOI, Vietnam
Police have detained an American man of Vietnamese origin who owned the Ho Chi Minh City disco destroyed in a fire last year that killed 60 people, state-controlled media reported Saturday. Nguyen Van Phuong, also known as Paul Nguyen, 41, was placed in police custody Friday for “violations of regulations on fire prevention and control,” the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper reported. Phuong’s house in the southern city’s Thu Duc District was searched by police, the paper said. Police and the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi declined to comment on Phuong’s detainment. His U.S. hometown was not given. Also Friday, police detained the disco’s manager, Nguyen Trong Cuong, for “negligence causing serious consequences,” the newspaper said. Police are questioning seven other people, including Phuong’s wife. The fire started in the Blue disco after a welding torch accidentally ignited plastic decoration sheets on the ceiling. The club was located on the third floor of the six-story International Trade Center, which is home to hundreds of offices and shops. The Oct. 29 blaze was the worst fire in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Published: Friday, February 28, 2003 23:09 PST
Worker injured after fuel tank on boat explodes in Pompano
sun-sentinel.com February 28, 2003, 3:24 PM EST
POMPANO BEACH – The fuel tank on a large boat being worked on outside a metal fabrication plant exploded and caught fire on Friday, injuring one worker, Fire Rescue said. The incident sent the unidentified worker to North Broward Medical Center with second-degree burns on his arms and facial burns. The injuries were not considered life threatening. No other injuries were reported. The boat was destroyed. A damage estimate was not immediately available. The accident occurred at 12:45 p.m. at the Doll Marine Metal Fabrication plant on the 200 block of South Dixie Highway when the worker used a saw to cut into the boat’s fuel tank, setting off a flash fire and small explosion, said Fire Rescue spokeswoman Sandra King. King said the worker later told emergency workers that he did not know what happened to set off the tank. He said the tank had been drained of fuel and flushed with both soap and water before he began cutting into it. The investigation continues.
Thawing Pipes Nearly End In Disaster; Owner Accidentally Starts Fire Near Lounge
POSTED: 8:44 a.m. EST February 27, 2003
GREENVILLE, N.H. — A historic Greenville inn nearly went up in flames Wednesday. Red Brick Inn owner Dave Barry inadvertently started a fire near the inn’s downstairs lounge as he tried to thaw frozen pipes with a propane torch. The torch lit some surrounding woodwork on fire. Firefighters said Barry avoided a disaster by throwing a pail of water on the fire, immediately after calling for help. The building was evacuated during the fire, but was open for business again later that day. Deputy Fire Chief Jim Stimans advised using products such as heating tape or a heat gun to thaw pipes, rather than any sort of open flame.
Deadly House Fire
The fire marshal has determined the cause of a fatal fire in Hampton. They say a blow torch used to thaw frozen pipes underneath the bathroom floor was the cause. Early Wednesday morning, firefighters pulled 40-year old Delmar Campbell from the smoky house. Campbell died at the scene. He was the only person living at the residence.
Fire damages business; Granville landscape company to remain open
Todd Seimer, The Advocate
GRANVILLE TOWNSHIP — Crews from three area fire departments battled a fire Wednesday night at a Granville landscaping business off Old River Road. The blaze was reported about 9:09 p.m. at John Klauder Associates Landscape & Design at 950 Old River Road, Granville police said. No one was injured in the fire that apparently started in the rear of the business and spread quickly, severely damaging the structure and its contents. A mechanic was welding a car in a garage when a spark caught a part of the car on fire, said Klauder. The mechanic got out in time and was not hurt. Firefighters did not enter the building to fight the blaze because the 60-foot by 40-foot garage became unsafe as the fire spread, said Lt. Tom Bowman of the Granville Fire Department. moke from the fire could be seen by passersby on Ohio 16. Granville firefighters were assisted by area departments that included Newark and Alexandria. Klauder didn’t have a damage estimate early today. He said he lost some inventory, small power and hand tools and racing cars his mechanic and foreman were working on in the building. Most of the firm’s heavy machinery, such as front-end loaders, was saved. Another building that houses Klauder’s office was not damaged. The fire hasn’t shut Klauder down. “We’re open for business,” he said early today. “I have an existing warehouse on the premises where I’ll relocate material for storing.” The business, which is well-known in Granville, was closed for the day when the fire broke out.
Fire Destroys Business in Clinton County
Emergency crews in Clinton County worked quickly to stop what could have been an explosive situation. Fire officials near Lock Haven said flames broke out at a gas station around 10:30 Wednesday morning. They say a man was welding too close to a fuel tank, and that sparked the blaze. It destroyed the building but didn’t spread to nearby gas tanks. Everyone inside got out safely. The owner says he will rebuild his business.
Fire Causes Downtown Deli To Shut Down; Water Damages Kitchen Area
February 25, 2003
INDIANAPOLIS — It may be several weeks before a popular downtown delicatessen reopens following a Monday fire. The fire caused around $75,000 damage to Shapiro’s Kosher Style Foods, but officials said it’s the heavy water damage that will shut it down for three to five weeks, RTV6’s Grace Trahan reported. “Thousands of gallons of water have flushed through the building,” owner Brian Shapiro said. “The fire essentially started on a third floor and permeated all the way to the basement.” Investigators want to make sure a mold problem doesn’t develop, Trahan reported. The entire kitchen system was also ruined. The fire was sparked after a general contractor was welding on the roof. Shapiro said the fire department responded quickly but the sprinkler system put out the fire. Shapiro said he’s relieved some of his personal items in the building were saved. “Where the fire occurred was in my great-grandparents’ apartment, and that was built at the turn of the century. Fortunately, none of the antiques were harmed,” Shapiro said. Around 100 customers were in the restaurant when the fire broke out. No one was hurt during the evacuation, Trahan reported.
60 Doran workers evacuated in fire from welding accident
Andrew Blejwas, Register Staff February 25, 2003
SHELTON — About 60 employees were evacuated from a local manufacturing plant Monday when a welding accident sparked a fire, officials said. Fire officials responded to a call of a blaze in the welding shop area of Doran Manufacturing at 6 Waterview Drive at 10:50 a.m. Monday. By the time the fire department arrived on scene the building’s employees had left the plant and smoke was pouring out of the building’s ventilation units. “There was just a lot of smoke, when I heard there was a fire I got right out,” said Thomas Fernandez, who works in the firm’s front office. Fire officials estimated the fire, which started in the building’s grinding shop, caused $25,000 in damage. “I would suspect there is quite a bit of smoke damage that’s going to require some extensive repairs,” said Fire Chief John Millo. Immediately after the fire broke out, employees attempted to extinguish the blaze with fire extinguishers, a fire official said. Aided by the building’s sprinkler system, employees were able to contain the fire until the fire department arrived. Employees said the building quickly filled with smoke. “I wasn’t in the area where it started but there was a lot of smoke everywhere, and flames,” said one employee who asked to not be identified. Employees stood in the parking lot and watched as fire fighters used the plant’s exhaust system to help remove smoke from the 50,000-square-foot building. Deputy Fire Marshal Robert Rockwell said employees at the company, which manufactures sheet metal for use in boxes, use the grinding area, where the fire started, to grind down sharp edges of the metal. “In the grinding process, sparks go into a collection system and are sucked into a machine and filtered,” said Rockwell. “The fire appears to have originated in that filter.” Rockwell said the fire was contained to the grinding area and a cabinet of plastic boxes that also ignited. Millo said the fire was under control in less than 30 minutes, partly as a result of help from the plant’s maintenance supervisor, who helped direct fire fighters on scene. Shortly after the blaze, many of the plant’s employees were told to go home for the day as cleanup work began. A company spokesman could not be reached for comment Monday.
Fire Destroys Paint Facility at Mobile Home Manufacturer
Fire has destroyed the paint facility at Friendship Homes in Montevideo. Friendship’s Safety Manager Melody Hobbie says the fire broke out shortly after seven yesterday morning as workers were trying to thaw a frozen paint line. She said workers tried to put out the fire, but it quickly engulfed the building. No injuries were reported and the Montevideo Fire Department responded immediately. Hobbie says they hope to have a temporary painting facility up and running later in the week while they rebuild the painting facility. Friendship Homes makes mobile homes.
Soldering work ignited destructive blaze, Aspen fire marshal says
By Naomi Havlen Aspen Times Staff Writer
A soldering operation at a construction site in the Aspen Business Center near the airport caused last week’s fire that resulted in $750,000 in damage, the Aspen fire marshal said. The blaze, which was reported shortly after 10 p.m. on Feb. 18, probably smoldered for hours after construction workers left for the day before erupting into the flames that destroyed about half the structure. Eight units are planned for the building, with one-, two-, and three-bedroom condominiums being refurbished by developer Greg Hills for sale on the free market. Aspen Fire Marshal Ed Van Walraven said the fire began in the ceiling of a basement-level mechanical room, where a leftover hot spot from a soldering operation on copper pipes that day ignited. The fire smoldered in the ceiling before turning into flames that moved up a shaft carrying pipes from the basement. Once in the attic and roof, the fire spread quickly. Firefighters gained full control over the blaze a little before midnight, although sheets of plastic covering large portions of the structure made visibility difficult. Seven fire engines and 30 firefighters responded. No one was injured. Van Walraven said fires caused by soldering work can be prevented if a worker checks thoroughly to make sure all hot spots are out with a fire extinguisher, and then keeps watch over the area for at least 30 more minutes to make sure nothing is smoldering. “It could have been prevented, probably with a little more diligence,” he said. “This fella did what he thought he needed to do, but he didn’t get all of the spots.” Van Walraven added sometimes fires can erupt suddenly even though a worker was diligent. Last July a fire erupted for the same reason inside a wall in The Aspen Times. Van Walraven said the person soldering those pipes was careful about putting out hot spots, but added accidents do happen. “We’re trying to get the word out to really check work when using a torch,” he said. “The best way to prevent this from happening is to stick around and make sure nothing is ignited in the area being worked on.”
Worker Suffers Burns in Small Explosion on Hy-Vee Roof
Friday, February 21, 2003, 3:00:43 PM
(Cedar Falls-AP) — A construction worker has suffered burns in a small explosion in Cedar Falls. Officials say the worker was on top of a Hy-Vee grocery store this morning and was burned when a torch he was using ignited a glue basket. The man is being treated at University Hospitals in Iowa City. The incident happened about 7:30 a.m. The fire was out by the time firefighters arrived. The store’s operations weren’t affected.
Fire Damages Auto Repair Shop
Rochester, NY – Investigators said a two-alarm fire on St. Paul Street Thursday night was an accident. The fire started at approximately 9:30 p.m. in a warehouse used as an auto repair shop on St. Paul near Upper Falls Boulevard. Firefighters reported that work done earlier on Thursday with a plumbing torch caused the fire. Emergency crews had a portion of St. Paul closed for several hours while the fire was brought under control.
Basement fire evacuates county home
By Adam Coates Flyer Staff Writer
DANVILLE — A group of residents from the Hendricks County Home spent time at the Hendricks County Jail last weekend, but it wasn’t because they had committed any crimes. Residents were transported to the jail for a brief period of time Sunday morning after a small fire flared up in the basement of the county home, leaving a trail of smoke to filter its way through the building. Workers in charge at the home made the decision to transport the 17 residents to the jail so as not to expose them to the smoke. Firefighters from the Danville Fire Department responded and quickly extinguished the fire before it spread or caused any serious damage to the home. No injuries were reported as a result of the incident, County Home Director Peggy Nichols said. Nichols said she was not working at the time but quickly rushed to the facility when she received a phone call from one of her employees. “It went great,” Nichols said of the firefighters’ effort. “The fire department responded in a good amount of time and prevented a much more serious incident.” Nichols said the fire began Sunday morning while a maintenance worker at the county home was attempting to defrost a frozen hot water pipe in the basement by using a fuel-powered torch. Hendricks County Engineer John Ayers said the flame from the torch accidentally ignited a build-up of dryer lint and caused a brief flash of fire that produced enough smoke to warrant calling the fire department. Nichols said that later that day, the frozen pipe eventually burst, leaving the facility without hot water until Tuesday when crews were able to return to the home and repair the pipe.
Close call for houses
ANDREW EALES Thursday, 20 February 2003
Near thing: Yesterday afternoon’s fire came close to this house south of Smythesdale. A FIRE started by a welder 5km south of Smythesdale came perilously close to destroying houses last night. CFA crews were called to a Woodland Dve address about 5.15pm after failed attempts by a man, on whose property the fire started, to dowse the flames. The fire quickly spread towards a nearby house, which was unattended, singeing the exterior walls. It also razed a shed where a number of old household and gardening items were destroyed. Firefighters from Scarsdale, Smythesdale, Linton and Cape Clear were quickly on the scene to save the house, but were worried the fire would spread into nearby bushland and a pine plantation. Fortunately crews were able to contain the blaze before it spread too far into the plantation.
UPDATE Ocean liner fire case goes to prosecutors
NAGASAKI (Kyodo) Nagasaki Prefectural Police turned over to prosecutors Thursday their negligence case against seven people in connection with a fire that severely damaged a nearly completed ocean liner in October. The fire broke out aboard the 113,000-ton Diamond Princess as the liner was undergoing interior work at a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. shipyard in Nagasaki. The cause of the blaze was attributed to onboard welding work. The seven, suspected of professional negligence resulting in the fire, include two welders and MHI officials responsible for the work. Police said they turned their criminal case over to prosecutors because of the huge amount of damage to the vessel — said to amount to some 30 billion yen — as well as the large social impact the fire had. Workers were welding pipes to the ceiling on the fourth deck of the ship at around 5:20 p.m. Oct. 1 when the 5-mm-thick steel plate overheated and set fire to wooden furniture in a cabin on the deck above, according to police. The blaze then proceeded to gut some 40 percent of the 14-deck liner, one of the largest in the world. MHI work procedures require supervisors to be posted at locations where fire is being used near flammable objects. But were was no one in cabin 320, where the fire broke out. Police said the seven failed to fulfill their “obligation to predict and prevent a fire.” After the fire, MHI and the ship’s owner, British shipping firm P & O Princess Cruises PLC, agreed to rename the vessel Sapphire Princess and push back its delivery date to May 2004 from this June.
Worker Critically Burned After Hydraulic Line Bursts
PORTLAND — A dockworker was in critical condition Wednesday after an industrial accident at a north Portland dry dock. The woman, whose name was not immediately released, was working on a platform suspended above a barge when a hydraulic line burst. She accidentally ignited the oil with her torch around 1:15 p.m. Tuesday and was caught in a flash fire. Portland firefighters used a crane to lift the woman to safety. Doctors at Legacy Emanuel Hospital said the woman has burns over 80 percent of her body. The incident remains under investigation.
Schnack’s fire ruled accidental
Mandy M. Goodnight / The Town Talk Posted on February 19, 2003
Fire officials have ruled as accidental a Monday evening two-alarm fire that damaged the storage building behind the former Schnack’s building in downtown Alexandria. On Tuesday, businesses like Hibernia National Bank and Caplan’s Men’s Shops opened despite some smoke damage to their respective buildings. The fire started in an area where construction workers were using a cutting torch on a boiler, Tom Force of the Alexandria Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau said Tuesday. Workers tried to keep the boiler cool by pouring water on it, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a fire from starting within one of the building’s walls. Passing motorists reported smoke coming from the building about 5:15 p.m. Monday. Smoke covered the downtown Alexandria skyline, firefighters said. The Fourth and Desoto streets building, owned by Buddy Tudor and Mike Small, is being renovated into a restaurant. The blaze did not heavily damage the exterior of the building. Lumber and other items were in the storage room at the time of the blaze. A fire of that nature “could happen to anybody,” Force said. Firefighters from four stations were able to contain the two-alarm fire before it spread to other buildings. No one was injured, and night employees at the downtown bank were evacuated as a precaution. Alexandria Hibernia President Wayne Denley said Tuesday that normal operations were ongoing and the lobby smelled “as sweet as ever.” Jackie Caplan said Monday night that firefighters were able to get the smoke out of the men’s clothing store, and the store was not planning a fire sale. Mike Grantham of the Alexandria Fire Department said a second alarm on the fire was called to provide extra manpower. He said firefighters did an “excellent” job containing the blaze and getting it out quickly.
Torch spark may have caused sawmill fire
BROOKFIELD – Investigators suspect that a spark from a welder’s torch caused the weekend fire that destroyed a Brookfield sawmill. Workers were welding Friday afternoon at Brookfield Lumber Company’s sawmill, and the building was ablaze by 1 a.m. Saturday, said deputy fire marshal Bob Orr. The investigation is finished, he added.
UPDATE Company found guilty after employee dies in explosion
TUESDAY , 18 FEBRUARY 2003
A Palmerston North engineering company has been found guilty of breaching industrial safety law after an employee was killed in an explosion almost two years ago. Roy Hall, 58, was killed after the tank he was welding exploded in a workshop of Triple R Engineering at Newbury on September 20, 2001. He died in Waikato Hospital on October 24. Two firms were charged by Occupational Safety and Health under industrial legislation. Abrasive Blast Cleaning pleaded guilty to four charges last year and was fined $27,500, with a $17,500 contribution going to Mrs Hall, while Triple R Engineering defended two charges. The hearing was held in Palmerston North District Court before Judge Barry Lovegrove from September 1-3. Triple R Engineering was charged with failing to take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of its worker and with failing to have in place an effective method of identifying new workplace hazards. Judge Lovegrove reserved his decision after the hearing. Widow Levona Hall said she and her two sons had been “in limbo” and “extremely frustrated” during the five-month wait for the verdict. “Thank God – it’s such a relief; it’s been pretty tough going,” she said. “I need to put it behind me and get on with life.” The company will be sentenced on February 27. Mrs Hall said she expected the inquest to be held mid-March.
Meggitt home badly damaged by Sunday fire
A fire in Erie County displaced a family and caused thousands of dollars in damage Sunday morning after a man tried to thaw frozen pipes with a torch. According to reports from the Margaretta Fire Department, damage at the Charles Meggitt residence, 3511 Lima Sandusky Road, is estimated at $45,000. There is extensive damage in the kitchen and basement, and heat damage throughout the house. The fire started in a crawl space near the front porch at 9:18 a.m. Sunday after Meggitt tried to thaw frozen pipes with a propane torch, reports show. No one was injured in the fire. Reports do not indicate how many people live at the residence or how many were home when the fire started. The Erie County Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the homeowner/s. The Sandusky (City) Fire Department and Bayview Township Fire Department also assisted at the scene.
Fire destroys building in Winfield
From Staff Reports
WINFIELD – Two men using a torch in a large garage on Manning Street Saturday morning accidentally ignited a bucket containing some sort of flammable liquid. “They attempted to fight the fire with a fire extinguisher and they ended up spreading the fire,” said. WFD Capt. Darryl Littrell. The house owned by Fairel Bryce was only about 10 feet from the shop, which used to be part of an old salvage shop behind the house that her husband ran. When Winfield firefighters arrived on the scene they found fire coming out of all the windows and doors as well as the roof to the 40-foot by 25-foot structure. “The temperature wasn’t so bad for us guys with gear on. It was just the strong winds that made the fire very difficult to fight,” Littrell said.”Then there was a lot of smoke which made it difficult to see in some areas.” The house was the major concern so firefighters focused their attack on protecting the house until more personnel arrived. Eventually 15 full-time firefighters and three reserves fought the fire. The Arkansas City Fire Department sent an engine and personnel to stand-by at the Winfield station. The Burden Fire Department also dispatched a unit. “Both of those (units) ended up making runs for us on different calls, which is the reason we do that… knowing there will other calls,” Littrell said. It took firefighters approximately one hour to bring the fire under control. They remained on the scene about four hours. There were no injuries. The building and contents lost in the fire were estimated to have a value of $110,000. Bryce’s nephews had at least one, and maybe two, cars in the garage along with expensive tools and equipment. A new GMC pickup parked in front of the garage sustained damage to the front of the vehicle, according to Littrell. Fire investigators are investigating the exact events that caused the fire.
Church fire
Welders accidentally caused a fire Thursday afternoon on the roof of St. Isidore Church in Macomb Township, where a $7 million expansion is under way. Macomb Fire Chief Ray Ahonen said fire crews were called to the church at 23 Mile and Romeo Plank roads around 3 p.m. after residents spotted black smoke coming from the site. Officials said the fire began from combustible materials on the roof where welders were working. Firefighters were able to stop the fire from penetrating the main building. Damage was listed at $10,000, Ahonen said.
UPDATE Fort Hancock to rebuild destroyed school
Darren Meritz El Paso Times
FORT HANCOCK — Eighth-grade student Alejandra Luna was in shock Nov. 2 as she watched Fort Hancock Middle School burn. “I can’t explain what I felt,” she said. “It just caught me by surprise.” Luna is one of 150 students who were left without a place to learn after the fire, which school officials say has changed the community’s sense of security and has prompted residents to pay careful attention to an oft-forgotten adage: Be prepared. Fort Hancock and the school district are building a new middle school that will cost insurers $2.2 million. Officials said little will remain of the old schoolhouse, built in 1925. “The only thing we’re going to keep is the old bell tower,” said Jose Franco, superintendent of the Fort Hancock Independent School District. “We’re going to try and salvage it and create a monument.” Franco said middle-schoolers, who have been going to classes in the high school down the road, can expect a new, modern school in about eight months. The fire was started by an acetylene torch that cut through metal and ignited a piece of wood at the school. It probably could have been extinguished if Fort Hancock, which has about 400 residents, had its own fire department, said Stacy Myers, Fort Hancock school nurse and EMS coordinator. The closest help for a fire is more than 30 minutes away in Horizon City. Since then, the Horizon City Fire Department has donated a fire truck to Fort Hancock, and residents are assembling a small fire department of 16 volunteers, she said. “All of us who work for EMS only had medical training. None of us had fire training,” Myers said. “Horizon City Fire Department is where we’re going to go and be part of their training. And they’ll train our staff as well.”
Onlooker hurt as fire guts warehouse
YOKOHAMA (Kyodo) A fire broke out in a warehouse in Kawasaki’s Takatsu Ward on Saturday morning, gutting the two-story structure. No one in the building was injured, although a 45-year-old woman who was watching the blaze fell from the second floor balcony of a nearby building, sustaining injuries to her head and arms, local police said. According to police, the fire broke out at around 10:10 a.m. At the time, work was going on to tear down the building and investigators said they suspect that sparks from welders’ torches set fire to debris nearby. The firm that used to own the warehouse said the land and property had already been sold and a condominium was to be built on the site. The blaze and accompanying black smoke forced students at municipal Takatsu High School nearby to remain indoors until the fire was extinguished.
Farmington fire linked to blowtorch
By BETTY JESPERSEN, Staff Writer Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
FARMINGTON — Firefighters extinguished a fire in the old State Theater on Friday a few hours after a plumber used a blowtorch to thaw frozen pipes. The fire had been smoldering for several hours under the floorboards at the theater on Broadway and filled the first floor with smoke but was put out before it could spread. The smoke seeping into The Outskirts, a vintage clothing store on the first floor of the converted movie theater, alarmed manager Danielle Nault. As firefighters from Farmington arrived and were searching to find the source of the elusive smoke, Nault and neighbors from stores up and down Broadway rushed in to lend a hand. “People were helping out and pulling clothes off the racks and carrying them next door to Butterfly McQueens (a women’s clothing store). It was great community support,” Nault said. “I hate to think of what would have happened in just another hour.” Nault called 911 at about 11 a.m. but as firefighters arrived, they were unable to find the source of the light, puffy smoke seeping into the building, Chief Deputy S. Clyde Ross said. The building’s owner, Tiane Donahue, was finally located at the University of Maine at Farmington where she teaches, and she supplied the clue firefighters needed, Ross said. A plumber had used a propane torch to heat a frozen pipe in the small, basement furnace room earlier that morning. “Pipes get hot and the heat radiates out. Fire got into the old, dry timbers down there and it was smoldering in the airspace for a couple of hours,” Ross said. “There was the potential here for a lot more damage.” The smoke from the burning timbers traveled under the floor boards and was being pulled up through the heat registers in the store, making it appear the fire was in that area. Nault’s mother and partner, Debra Powers, said she was particularly upset since she had a chimney fire in her home in Chesterville the same morning.
UPDATE BP issues report on welder’s death on North Slope
By Associated Press Saturday, February 15, 2003 – FAIRBANKS
Water that froze in a pipe led to the death of a welder on the North Slope Dec. 21, according to an investigation of the incident. Rodney Rost, 55, of Soldotna died at a BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. facility on the North Slope. The company completed its investigation last week. Water that froze in a vent line kept nitrogen from escaping and caused so much pressure in a 28-inch pipe that a metal plug blew out, BP spokesman Daren Beaudo said. The plug hit Rost in the head, killing him instantly. It was the first death of a BP worker or BP contractor on the North Slope since 1998. Beaudo said Rost and the two others on the job, which was to recommission a water line, did not use a pressure gauge while working on the pipe. The reason nitrogen was routed into the pipe and the plug was in place was to prevent hydrocarbons, which are potentially flammable, from coming into contact with the welder’s torch. “Ironically, that plug was there as a safety barrier for Mr. Rost,” Beaudo said. Because of the incident, BP has imposed a moratorium on work involving plugs and nitrogen purges, Beaudo said. The company has also tightened policy concerning such work so there is no doubt a pressure gauge must be used. Rost worked for a BP contractor, Norcon Inc., a subsidiary of Veco Corp. “In hindsight, we wish they would have had a pressure gauge on the system,” said Bill Morrow, Norcon president. The company is revamping some of its policies and procedures as well, he said. Rost had worked for Norcon for about seven years. The investigation of Rost’s death involved both BP, Norcon, Rost’s labor union and an industry expert. Gas pressure caused another accident on the North Slope in August, when a well ruptured, releasing natural gas that exploded and injured a BP oil field operator, Don Shugak. BP has decided not to contest a $6,300 fine levied by the state for a safety violation in that Aug. 16 incident, Beaudo said. The violation was for failing to adequately protect employees from a well with known pressure problems.
STORY OF INTEREST Settlement reached in student injury case
By DOREEN OBERMEYER, Coolidge Examiner February 12, 2003
In January of 2001, a 15-year-old girl at Coolidge High School received a severe electrical shock while using a portable welder in an agriculture welding lab. Cameo Madewell was knocked off her feet and thrown a short distance after the electrical plug for the 220-volt welder she was using exploded in a wall socket. Attorneys for the girl’s family said the district was responsible for creating unreasonably dangerous conditions which were not apparent to the student. Former voc ag teacher, Steve Sipes was also named in the suit, as the instructor in charge of the class. The claim stated that Sipes failed to properly train, instruct, supervise or warn the student of the dangers involved with the welding unit and area. The Madewells asked for damages for their daughter’s bodily injury, pain and suffering, medical and other expenses. The attorney for the district and for Sipes claimed that the district was not negligent, and that in any case a statute of limitations applied since the suit was filed a full year after the incident. The defendants also claimed that the student was responsible for the mishap and that she knowingly assumed risk in using the equipment. Both parties agreed to mediation and they reached a settlement on Jan. 24 before Lawrence H. Fleischman. The Madewells also agreed to dismiss the lawsuit. The settlement amount was $18,000, according to attorneys for the district. After the accident, Madewell was airlifted to the burn and shock unit of Maricopa Medical Center for evaluation where she was released the following day. According to an incident report filed at the time, Sipes, reported hearing a loud pop before the power went out and then saw Madewell falling to the ground. She apparently suffered a seizure and lost consciousness for several minutes. A ground fault interrupt (GFI) breaker cut power to the entire block of classrooms in the Voc/Tech complex and possibly prevented the girl from being electrocuted. The class was an advanced agriculture class and the student had been trained on the equipment. Madewell was wearing the department’s required safety gear at the time of the accident , including leather gloves, canvas apron, goggles and a welding mask. Sherrill Stevens, principal at CHS, said an electrical contractor , employed by the district, inspected the welder and the outlet after the incident and found no malfunctions.
Nursery almost lost as spark ignites blaze
By JANE LOVIBOND 13feb03
A SPARK from an angle grinder almost obliterated a historic horticultural landmark in Hobart yesterday. The Chandler family’s 115-year-old nursery in Sandy Bay almost went up in smoke after a fire, accidentally started by an employee, destroyed the propagation shed and threatened the adjoining cottage. Proprietor Greg Chandler admitted the damage, estimated about $30,000, could have been horrific if not for the quick action of the Hobart Fire Brigade. And he was full of praise for one of the nursery workers who noticed smoke coming from the shed. Another five minutes and the cottage, built in 1860 and nominated for heritage listing, would have been lost. Plants worth thousands of dollars and other valuable stock also would have gone up in flames. “It could have been a disaster,” Mr Chandler said. “This nursery has been in the family for four generations. “As it is only the shed has been destroyed and just the corner of the cottage has been damaged. “Heat affected some stock but the retail area was not touched. We were very lucky.” He said an employee had been working in the shed using an angle grinder to cut through a small piece of metal pipe. “It was a six-second cut through a half-inch piece of steel,” Mr Chandler said. “He finished the task and walked out of the shed. “It must have smouldered for a while and 10 or 15 minutes later she was going.” The blaze was visible from the immediate Sandy Bay area and the thick pall of smoke sparked several calls to the Hobart Fire Bridge. District officer for brigade operations Gavin Freeman said the fire could have spread throughout the nursery and to a block of neighbouring flats. He said the incident served as a warning to operators of angle grinders and welding equipment to be particularly vigilant about clearing a space around their work area. “It only takes one spark to start a fire and every precaution should be taken to ensure the area is clear of combustible material,” district officer Freeman said. “Always have a fire extinguisher close at hand and if possible ask an observer to see where sparks land.”
UPDATE Training lapse cited in mine tragedy
By PETE BOSAK, THE TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT February 12, 2003
None of the six men building an air shaft at Consol Energy’s McElroy mine outside Cameron, W.Va., had to take 80 hours of training required of all West Virginia underground miners. The course may have prevented a Jan. 22 methane explosion that killed three of the men – including a worker from Colver – officials in West Virginia said yesterday. “Some aspects of (the training course) would be valuable, methane detection obviously,” said Terry Farley of the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training. Because crews drilling vertical air shafts are not considered coal miners, they do not have to take the 80-hour training required of West Virginia miners, Farley said. “That training has not been required for people who work at a shaft construction site, like this one,” Farley said. But they do have to take a less-extensive course that includes methane detection. Farley is one of the investigators looking for the cause of the deadly explosion that claimed the lives of the three employees of a Cambria Township company. The January blast killed two Ohio men and Harry P. “Buzzy” Roush III, 23, of Colver, Cambria County, while injuring three others, two of them seriously. There is no disputing, Farley said, that a methane explosion occurred and that a torch being used by a worker ignited the blast. A question Farley and fellow investigators are trying to answer is why the men with Central Cambria Drilling, 173 Municipal Road, Cambria Township, did not detect the methane buildup. Investigators also are trying to determine the source of the methane – did it come from below the air shaft, or from a coal seem the shaft already had passed through? The men were 950 feet underground when the explosion happened. “It’s no secret that a methane explosion occurred,” Farley said yesterday in a telephone interview from his Charleston, W.Va., office. “But methane can be detected. It’s colorless, odorless and tasteless. But it can be detected with a hand-held instrument.” A man who answered the telephone at Central Cambria Drilling yesterday said there would be no comment and abruptly hung up the telephone. The company employed the men building the air shaft when the explosion occurred. When the probe will end is uncertain. Survivors have yet to be interviewed by Farley or fellow investigators. Richard Brumley of Waynesburg, the leader of the six-man crew, was released from a hospital recently and soon may be ready to be interviewed by investigators, Farley said. Benjamin Bair, 23, of Pentress, W.Va., who suffered critical burns, multiple bone fractures and internal injuries, has been released from a hospital but sent to a rehabilitation center. Farley said he does not know when Bair will be available to tell what happened that day. A sixth member of the crew who survived the explosion, Aaron Meyer of Cameron, W.Va., was treated and released from a hospital the day of the explosion. While the 80-hour-course in underground mine training for shaft builders is not required, a crew foreman usually is certified by the state of West Virginia. Killed in the accident were relatively new employees of Central Cambria Drilling: Richard Mount, 37, of Shadyside, Ohio; David Abel, 47, of Belmont, Ohio; and Roush. The most senior, Roush, had eight months on the job with Central Cambria Drilling. Mount and Abel had been with Central Cambria Drilling for less than three weeks. While a completion date of the investigation is uncertain, equally unclear as of yet is what changes may be forthcoming. “It’s too early to speculate,” Farley said. “It’s not unreasonable to believe extra training may be necessary for shaft-construction people. “But, hopefully, we’re getting toward the end here,” Farley said of the investigation.
Butane explosion injures two
A soldering torch, put into a drawer while still hot, ignited a can of butane early Saturday afternoon. The explosion injured two Napa brothers who suffered minor burns. The accident occurred at John Pagliuso’s house, 4179 Fairfax Drive, in north Napa, the Napa Fire Department said. Pagliuso put his soldering torch into a drawer in his garage, then went down the street to his brother Paul’s house, firefighter Kirk Morris said. A little while later, John’s mother discovered smoke in the garage and called him home, Morris said. The brothers were going to put out the smoky fire with extinguishers when the small can of butane blew up, he said. Paul Pagliuso was treated at Queen of the Valley hospital for a second degree flash burn to his hand. Both men had light burns to their faces and their beards were singed, Morris said. The brothers had the fire out by the time fire fighters arrived. The damage was confined to two drawers of the tool box.
Little to be salvaged from muffler shop fire
By LAURA CLARK/The Daily Journal Sunday, February 09, 2003 –
Makeshift walls of particle board replace the ceiling-to-floor glass that once encased the showroom of West Coast Muffler and Tire shop in Ukiah. Inside the skeletal building where only the metal and brick parts of the structure remain after Wednesday’s early morning fire the frame of a car still sits on a rack and aside from a few pipes and a swamp cooler, is all that is somewhat distinguishable amongst the remains. Pieces of roof, too, can be seen scattered throughout the ash. Outside, in the front parking lot, sit the shells of three other cars. Friday afternoon, Ukiahan Ken Peterson stood looking at the one that was once his. “It was pretty,” he said, holding out a picture of a freshly painted ’38 Buick Special Opera Coupe. “They used to take the ladies to the opera and that’s why they called it the Opera Coupe,” he explained. The car in the photo, once a deep maroon color, could now better be described as burnt orange and black ash. Kristen Newell, owner of the muffler shop, was there too, with her mother and her best friend, to meet with an insurance agent. She pointed to the south side of the building, which did not sustain major damage, which is where her husband, Mike, said he hopes to reopen his business within the next 60 days. “It’s not going to be easy. We are going to start over; that’s all we can do. We are going to do it all again,” Mike Newell said Thursday in a phone interview. City of Ukiah Fire Marshal Chuck Yates estimated the loss at about $750,000. Some of the tool boxes alone are worth $20,000, he said. The building itself was valued at about $500,000; the contents $200,000 and about $50,000 in personal property, he said. The fire started in a fabrication shop next to the muffler shop, from someone using a cutting torch, officials said.
Fire destroys truck at Pallet Co.
By MONICA TORLINE The Marion Star
MARION — A forklift growled as it pulled charred debris from the smoking, flaming tractor trailer. Its metal blades crushed the skeleton of the burned vehicle and made loud, scraping noises. Marion Township firefighters were called to Marion Pallet Co. Inc., 281 Copeland Ave., at 2:15 p.m. Pleasant Township and Salt Rock fire departments stood by with their tanker trucks ready to provide mutual aid, but Marion Township firefighters were able to put out the flames with white foam in about a half hour. “The foam penetrates a little deeper (than water),” Chief Mike Fogle said. The fire began about 20 minutes before, when the sparks from the cutter saw Ryan Hynds was using to demolish the trailer ignited the wooden pallets inside its belly. Hynds, a Sunbury resident, was not injured. “My life was never in any real danger,” he said. Ben Smith, who owns Marion Pallet, adamantly explained that the trailer did not belong to him. Its owner, Wayne Mitchell, needed a place to demolish the vehicle, and Smith found a spot on the property that would fit Mitchell’s needs. “It’s his trailer and his problem,” Smith said.
Blaze spares houses
By Lionel W. Lippmann for the ruidoso news
High winds quickly spread a grass fire started accidentally on the Fort Lone Tree property Wednesday morning, charring more than 78 acres and briefly threatening three residential buildings. Shortly before 11 a.m. Wednesday, a cutting torch being used by Erich McNamara started the Fort Lone Tree Fire, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department. The fire had started to spread northeast when the Capitan Volunteer Fire Department arrived. Using a brush truck with limited water supply, firefighters managed to flank the fire and prevent it from spreading into the timber of the Capitan Mountains. A Capitan pumper truck was the second vehicle on the scene and initially aided in the efforts to contain the fire. After the fire had been contained, the pumper truck functioned as a water tender for the numerous other trucks from the state Forest Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Lincoln, Bonito and Fort Stanton volunteer fire department, as well as elements of the Smokey Bear Hotshot team and 12 firefi ghters from Mescalero. County Manager Tom Stewart also surveyed the area of the fire, as did Lincoln County emergency services coordinator William Martin. hifting winds, estimated to be from 10 to 20 miles per hour, caused the fire to consume 78.62 acres before it was contained. The structures that were threatened belonged to Harold and Kay Finklestein, who had previously removed most of the brush from the immediate area of their structures. Their guest cottage, which was the most endangered structure, was protected by neighbors who saw the smoke and drove to the Finklesteins’ houses, protecting them by watering the ground surrounding the guest house. Several Lincoln County Sheriff Department units responded, and the investigation was headed up by Sgt. Jackie Raines and Officer Robert Shephard. Thursday, Undersheriff Rick Virden said the fire was started by a cutting torch that was being used to cut steel tanks. The fire was contained completely by 2 p.m., though most of the firefighters remained on the scene to deal with numerous hot spots. The fire was officially declared extinguished by 4 p.m. No injuries or property damage were reported.
Thursday blaze claims 300 salvage cars
02/07/03 Justin Baldwin
Nearly everyone in Nevada witnessed a black plume of greasy smoke rise from the yard of Nevada Auto Used Parts and Cars, 901 East Highland, at about 12:24 p.m. Thursday as more than 300 cars in a salvage area burned in a massive inferno. The fire started when an employee inadvertently set on fire some oily rags in the trunk of the car beneath him while cutting out a spindle with an oxy-acetylene torch. The cold weather had caused the worker’s fire extinguisher to freeze, and in a short time the fire had spread through a large pile of wrecked and salvaged cars. By the time firefighters arrived, a pile of about 300 cars ready to be salvaged were engulfed in flames. The heat from the blaze was intense. While the raging fire storm howled in the driving snow the tires would swell and pop like rifle shots. Due to the location of Nevada Auto Parts and Cars — outside of the city limits — firefighters had to run a 4-inch hose a distance of about 900 feet to the nearest hydrant. Doing so did not provide the volume of water firefighters wanted, so Nevada Fire Chief Bill Gillette ordered another pumper truck to be placed at the hydrant to perform a tandem pump. The fire was contained with the help of several rural fire departments, including Milo and Compton Junction, but continued to smolder for several hours. Carl Brewer, owner of Nevada Auto Used Parts and Cars watched with apparent agitation, but declined comment about the fire at the scene. Of the fire, Gillette said this was more a case of containing the blaze than trying to save the cars affected by it. “I knew I wasn’t going to save a lot of property but I was concerned about environmental damage,” he said. To cut back on the impact of a huge plume of black smoke blowing towards town firefighters used foam to put the fire out as quickly as possible, arriving at the scene at 12:45 p.m., getting the fire under control at 3 p.m., and leaving when everything was cold at 5:45 p.m. No injuries were reported, and firefighters estimate the damage to be in the hundreds of dollars, since the cars in the fire had been gutted of spare parts already and were nearly ready to be destroyed for scrap metal.
Restoration efforts drown in flames
With work almost complete, Buxton Inn owners face fire, smoke damage to century-old home
By BRIAN MILLER Advocate Reporter
GRANVILLE — A fire on Thursday caused $25,000 to $30,000 damage to a home that the Buxton Inn’s owners were restoring. The two-story home at 128 S. Pearl St., caught fire after a torch being used by a worker in a second-floor bathroom ignited a wall, said Lt. Tom Bowman of the Granville Fire Department. There was damage to interior walls on one side of the home and smoke damage throughout the home. No injuries were reported. The home is one of several built by the five children of Major Buxton, who built the Buxton Inn in 1812 on East Broadway, the main avenue of downtown Granville. All the homes are on the same block as the inn. Buxton Inn owners Orville and Audrey Orr have been restoring the homes one by one and then renting them. Restoration work on the South Pearl Street home was almost done when the fire broke out, Orville said. The worker was attaching a fitting on a water line using a torch and accidentally ignited a piece of wood or fiberglass, Bowman said. The wall caught fire and flames traveled through an interior wall up to the attic and down to the first floor. The workman had gone downstairs when he realized there was a fire upstairs and called the fire department at 10:20 a.m. The fire was extinguished at 11:15 a.m. The Orrs had taken pains to bring the century-old woodframe home back to its original state, Orville said. “The hardware and the floors are all original,” he said. The job was nearly finished when the fire broke out. Orr said he wants to complete the project if the damage permits. The Buxton Inn, Ohio’s oldest operating inn still using its original building, is known for its gardens and courtyards.
Oil tank fire from welding sends smoke over Chesapeake
The Virginian-Pilot February 7, 2003
CHESAPEAKE — An old oil storage tank caught fire Thursday afternoon when sparks from a welder’s torch ignited sludge in the bottom. A thick plume of black smoke rose above nearby trees. No injuries were reported, said Battalion Chief Michael Best. A man was cutting the tank so he could haul the pieces off the property in the 300 block of St. Luke’s Church Road off Great Bridge Boulevard when the fire started, Best said. Firefighters were called at 4:23 p.m. and doused the tank with about 500 gallons of foam, Best said. The blaze was out by 5 p.m., he said. Eugene Miller was charged with welding and cutting without a permit, failing to have a fire extinguisher present and with cutting into a tank prior to purging it. All three charges are misdemeanors, Best said.
Huntingdon – Man killed in welding accident
By CHUCK ROSS Feb 7 2003
HUNTINGDON – A worker was killed Wednesday after being severely burned in a welding accident at a local aluminum plant. Joe L. McDaniel, 54, of Lexington, an employee of Jabezco Industrial Group in Jackson, was working as a contractor at the Norandal USA Inc. aluminum plant. “McDaniel was severely burned in a welding accident at Norandal in Huntingdon, at 2:04 p.m. Wednesday,” Sgt. Loraine Dunn of the Huntingdon Police Department said in a news release. “McDaniel was welding on piping, and his clothing was ignited.” He died of cardiac arrest while being airlifted to The Regional Medical Center in Memphis, Dunn said. Melissa Reierson, a representative for the Tennessee Occupational Health and Safety Administration, confirmed the accident and said TOSHA is investigating. The agency investigates any work-related deaths in the state. “All I can tell you is that we are at the site and are conducting an investigation,” she said. “We will issue an accident report when the investigation is complete in about six weeks ” Online records for the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration showed no previous deaths or injuries at the plant. OSHA cited the plant in 1993 and 1998 for violations involving floor and wall openings and protective equipment, respectively. Norandal was fined $1,000 for the 1993 violation. Henry Smith, director of human resources at Norandal, declined to provide any information regarding the accident. “We’re referring all inquiries to Jabezco since he was one of their employees,” he said. Jabezco Senior Vice President Lanny Throckmorton also declined comment on the specific details of the accident. “Jabezco’s primary focus, attention and prayers are with the McDaniel family, and caring for their physical, emotional and spiritual needs at this tragic time,” he said. McDaniel is survived by his wife, Carol; two sons, Jamie and Joey McDaniel; and a daughter, Shoral Horton, all of Lexington. Services for McDaniel will be at noon today at Reed’s Chapel Funeral Home in Lexington. Interment will follow at the Center Ridge Cemetery in Lexington.
Kerala: Massive fire in Thiruvananthapuram LIC office
6-February-2003
Thiruvananthapuram: As many as 30 firemen battled for over an hour to control a fire which broke out in the basement of the Pattom Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) complex on Wednesday evening. The fire broke out near the LIC policy record room where documents pertaining to thousands of LIC customers are stored. Seven fire engines and one fire tender were pressed into service to fight the blaze that was reported to the Fire Force at 4.12 p.m. Two firemen and a 17-year-old youth sustained injuries in the fire-fighting operations that lasted for over an hour. The injured persons were identified as the Station Officer, N. Balachandran, driver-mechanic Asokan and Vipin, son of an LIC employee staying at the staff quarters inside the LIC office. The Station Officer (Fire Station-Chakkai), Najeeb, who was among the firemen to reach the spot first at 4.20 p.m., said smoke was seen billowing from the basement. Water at high pressure was directed into the basement, he said. The Emergency Tender was summoned and its blower system was employed to flush out the smoke. Fire-fighters equipped with breathing apparatus then went into the basement to locate the blaze. The Assistant Divisional Officer, E. B. Prasad, who led the operations, said there was no one around to guide the fire force to the heart of the fire. “There was no security officer or caretaker to tell us about the layout of the building. We made a quick assessment and made two breaches into the basement from which dark smoke was billowing”, he said. The fireman, Asokan, was injured when he tried to gain access into the basement by breaking the window pane. Mr. Balachandran was injured when he slipped down the staircase leading to the smoke-filled basement. Mr. Prasad said a large dump of waste paper under the flight of stairs leading up from the basement had caught fire. There was a welding machine nearby and its wires were seen burnt out. It was suspected that a spark from the welding machine could have caused the fire. Mr. Prasad said timely intervention by the Fire Force had prevented the blaze from spreading to the nearby policy record room where documents pertaining to thousands of LIC policy holders are stored. The door of the record room was found to be made of combustible material. Fire officials said that though there were fire extinguishers in the basement, neither a caretaker or security man was found posted there on round-the-clock duty. The LIC management has been advised to conduct fire-fighting drills among staff members and maintain round-the-clock security.
Fire causes minor damage in Coweta courthouse
By RALPH ELLIS Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer
A roofer’s torch accidentally ignited a fire Monday afternoon in a small section of the Coweta County Courthouse, causing minor damage to the 99-year-old building in Newnan. Tom Corker, county spokesman, said torch flames ignited a section of dry wood near a window about 52 feet off the ground. Fire extinguishers were used to fight the blaze until Newnan firefighters arrived and extinguished the fire. The building was evacuated and nobody was hurt. The county is repairing the historic courthouse, which houses several local government offices, including the clerk of court. The county is building a new judicial building several blocks away.
EXPLOSION LEAVES MAN BADLY BURNED
12:00 – 04 February 2003
A young man was today critically ill following a massive explosion in a storage containment tank at Princess Yachts International at Marsh Mills. The incident happened yesterday at about 1.45pm when the 21-year-old Nationwide Heating Services Ltd employee was working inside the empty cylinder tank, which is 10 metres long by six wide. Fire chiefs at the scene, off Coypool Road, believe the man – thought to be from the Saltash area – was using acetone to remove hardened resin. Police say the man was welding inside the tank. The 21-year-old was flown to the specialist burns unit at Frenchay Hospital in Bristol. Peverell-based Nationwide Heating Services Ltd had been contracted to carry out work at the site on tanks formerly used to store resin for sealing yachts. Fireman Tim Mockridge, Station Officer at Crownhill, said the inside of the container became engulfed in a ‘fireball’, and the man was unable to escape. He had been lowered into the tank in a harness, through an opening in the top of about 60 centimetres in diameter. The area was cordoned off after a Westcountry Ambulance Service crew arrived. Police officers took photographs at the scene. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today said it would be investigating the incident. Inspectors were this morning due to meet representatives of Princess Yachts International and Nationwide Heating Services Ltd at the Coypool Road site. While the man was working inside the tank, another man was working on the exterior. He was unhurt, and called the emergency services. Station Officer Mockridge said he believed the man was working with ‘a very flammable liquid’ smelling similar to nail varnish. He said as soon as firefighters arrived they had cut the man’s clothes off and covered his burns in water gel. “We believe the man suffered about 90 per cent burns,” he said. Andrew Thompson, HSE inspector, said: “We understand that a worker from the contractor Nationwide Heating was working within a resin tank at Princess Yachts International when an incident occurred. “We believe the worker suffered serious burns and was immediately taken to hospital.” David King, managing director of Princess Yachts International, today said his thoughts were with the man’s family. He said: “Obviously we are very concerned for him, and our sympathies go out to his family. We cannot shed any light on what happened until the investigation is completed.” Ian Jarvis, company secretary at Nationwide Heating Services Ltd, said: “Our thoughts go out to the man and his family.”
Firefighter treated for burns
A Cincinnati firefighter was treated and released from University Hospital Saturday for minor burns to his face he suffered fighting a house fire at 3425 Beekman Ave. Lt. Robert Beckroege had burns on his cheeks when metal clips on his mask heated. The fire destroyed the second floor of the home, causing about $35,000 in damage. It was started by a worker inside the house who was soldering copper joints with a blow torch.
Firefighter burns ear in Monroe blaze
John Colvin / Police Reporter Posted on February 5, 2003
Monroe Fire Department investigators say a construction accident ignited a fire Tuesday at a house owned by a local businessman. The department received several calls at 2:38 p.m. Tuesday, and about seven trucks spent the majority of the afternoon and evening combating the fire at 1200 University Avenue. Investigators say the origin of the fire appears to be traced to a worker sweating pipes together in the attic. “The fire started accidentally,” said Kenneth Gibbs, chief arson investigator. “A spark ignited surrounding material.” According to the Ouachita Parish tax assessor’s records, Eddie Hakim owns the property, valued at nearly $250,000. He is one of three brothers who own Luv N’ Care, a company that does business in more than 80 countries and has warehousing or manufacturing facilities in North America, including Monroe, and in Asia. Its products – everything from baby bibs to bottles – are sold by major retailers like Wal-Mart, Kmart, J.C. Penney, Sears, Toys R Us, Rite Aid and others. Firefighters quickly set up a defensive line to fight back the blaze, which had concentrated in the northern section of the almost completed house. Fire Chief Jimmie Bryant said the size of the residence -27,000 square feet in area – proved to be a hindrance. “The accessibility to the structure posed a lot of problems,” Bryant said. “This is one of the largest homes. This is one of most significant stories because it is a residence.” One firefighter was injured, said David Coco, chief of emergency medical services. As first reported at thenewsstar.com, he suffered third-degree burns to one of his ears and was taken to St. Francis Medical Center, according to Coco. “The firefighter was treated and released,” Bryant said. Although there were about 10 construction workers inside the house when the fire started, none of them reported injuries, Coco said. Emergency officials remained on the scene into the evening Tuesday but said the fire was under control. At about 8 p.m. Bryant said they were wrapping up operations. The chief said they requested help from the Ouachita Parish Fire Department if any other fires were reported while city crews battled the fire at the residence next to the University of Louisiana at Monroe. “The parish was called to help at some of the fire stations because of the number we had out here,” Bryant said.
UPDATE Explosion Blamed On Improper Monitoring
By JENNIFER COMPSTON
The investigation into an air shaft explosion that killed three employees of Central Cambria Drilling Co. and injured three others near Cameron on Jan. 22 has revealed that methane levels within the shaft were not being properly monitored while work was ongoing. According to C.A. Phillips, deputy director of the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training, investigators believe the incident resulted because workers failed to properly monitor methane levels. It is definitely our opinion that adequate methane examinations were not taken before the explosion,” Phillips said Wednesday. Phillips confirmed that a methane detector was found in the pocket of a work coat worn by 51-year-old Richard Brumley of Waynesburg, Pa., who was serving as the crew boss when the explosion occurred. Brumley suffered serious injuries in the incident that resulted in him being hospitalized for several days, but he was released Monday from Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh. Phillips said interviews of those who witnessed the explosion, including 28-year-old Aaron Meyer of Cameron, a Cambria employee, have indicated that methane levels were not being properly monitored. Phillips said it is the responsibility of the crew boss to make methane examinations. He added that the responsibility would also fall to anyone who was about to use a torch for cutting or welding within the shaft. Phillips further said acetylene torches were being used in the shaft for the completion of such work. Although investigators are not yet certain what caused methane to collect at the bottom of the shaft, Phillips said explosive methane gas can collect in any underground work setting as a result of cracks in the surrounding strata of the earth. He also said fluctuating underground water levels could cause methane deposits to rise and enter such a shaft. In addition, he said methane could easily be found in a work area that was not properly ventilated. Also, Moundsville attorney Don Kresen said an investigatory interview into the matter was held at his office Wednesday with representatives of the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training present, along with officials from the U.S. Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration, the United Mine Workers of America, Central Cambria Drilling Co. and CONSOL Energy Inc. Kresen said investigators took statements from a witness of the explosion during the interview. He stressed that his client, an employee of Central Cambria Drilling and an eyewitness of the incident, is “eager to cooperate and assist” with the inquiry. Meanwhile, Beth Lawry, a spokeswoman for Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh where one victim of the explosion is still being treated for wounds and burns, said Wednesday that 23-year-old Benjamin Bair of Pentress in Monongalia County was still listed in critical condition. Bair has undergone four surgeries so far, Lawry said, with the most recent surgery having been completed Wednesday. Richard E. Mount, 37, of Shadyside was killed in the explosion, along with 47-year-old David W. Abel of Belmont and 23-year-old Harry P. Roush III of Colver, Cambria County, Pa.
Man ignites fire while thawing pipes
By LARRY GRARD, Staff Writer Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
PITTSFIELD — The bathroom of a man who tried to thaw frozen pipes with a propane torch was destroyed by fire early Wednesday afternoon. David Ring said he was not injured after fire struck underneath the bathroom of his small home at 14 High St. Firefighters were called out at 12:40 p.m., and had the fire under control by 1, despite low water pressure. Assistant Fire Chief Dean M. Billings said damage was minor. There was water damage and the bathroom floor needs to be replaced, he said. “There was more smoke than there was fire,” Billings said. Frozen pipes have caused problems all over Pittsfield this week. Most of the town was without water Tuesday after a water main broke on Detroit Avenue, emptying the Grove Hill storage tank. Ring, holding his small dog across the street, said he was trying to thaw out his pipes with the torch. He then went upstairs, and noticed the smoke. Flames were just beginning to shoot out the back of the bathroom and thick black smoke was billowing when firefighters arrived. They had to access the site via a roundabout route because the corner of Detroit Avenue and Route 100, where the water main broke, was still blocked Wednesday.
Eldorado barn fire may have been caused by torch used to thaw frozen pipes
By Peggy Breister the reporter
A torch being used to thaw frozen pipes may have ignited hay bales, resulting in a fire that destroyed a barn Tuesday morning in the Town of Eldorado, Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department officials say. The fire was reported at 7:13 a.m. at the David Henke farm, N9028 Ridge Road, according to Sheriff’s Department reports. “We were on the scene until 2:30 p.m.,” said Eldorado Fire Chief Rob Menne. “The barn is a total loss.” Menne declined to comment on the cause of the fire until the investigation is complete. “It was a typical winter fire,” he said. “It doesn’t always go the way you want.” Although there were no problems, Menne said firefighters weren’t able to knock down the blaze before the barn was destroyed. No one was injured, and the Henkes were able to remove all animals from the barn. “Everyone did everything they possibly could,” Menne said. “The help was greatly appreciated.” Firefighters from Van Dyne, Rosendale, the Town of Fond du Lac and the Town of Nekimi in Winnebago County assisted Eldorado.
Grass fire sparked by welder
30jan03
A WELDER ignoring total fire bans faces possible police charges after his equipment sparked a fire at Clarendon yesterday. The fire began about 10am and was extinguished quickly with emergency services personnel on full alert because of the extreme conditions. About 5ha of grass was burned. Police at the scene said the man “was very embarrassed and apologetic”. In all there were five minor fires across the state. Meanwhile, 115 CFS volunteers assisted Victorian firefighters at Tallangatta Valley yesterday.
Explosion injures man
Todd Billiot
LAFAYETTE — An employee of Intertrust Armored Services was injured Monday morning when a 55-gallon barrel filled with transmission oil exploded as he was cutting a bumper off a nearby wrecked armored car with a welder’s cutting torch, a Lafayette Fire Department spokesman said. Vapors from the barrel probably ignited from a spark, said Alton Trahan, fire department spokesman. The barrel exploded and flew about 20 feet into an adjacent lot. The employee, 33-year-old Gary Fontenot, received second- and third-degree burns on his neck, chest and hands. He was taken to Lafayette General Medical Center for treatment and then brought to a burn unit in Baton Rouge, Trahan said. “He was burned pretty badly,” Trahan said. The fire occurred shortly after 10 a.m. outside the office of Intertrust, in the 300 block of Pinehurst Street, which is located in an industrial area between Pinhook and South Hugh Wallis roads. The manager for Intertrust told fire investigators that a loud noise was heard outside the office. When employees hurried outside, they noticed Fontenot running from behind three armored cars with his clothes on fire. They grabbed a water hose and put the flames out, Trahan said. At least three armored cars sustained heavy damage in the fire. No one from the company was available to comment, said a person answering the telephone Monday.