Hotwork Accidents #12
This page was last updated on 05/06/2010
New building on Iowa campus catches fire
By The Associated Press
IOWA CITY — A University of Iowa building with sections still under construction caught fire Friday, forcing the evacuation of a nearby residence hall and two other campus buildings. Investigators said the fire was caused when welding sparks ignited a tarp covering an exterior wall of the 58,000-square-foot Blank Honors Center. There were no reports of civilian injuries, but two firefighters were injured during the three hour battle to control the blaze. Extent of the injuries was not immediately available. Fire officials said Daum Hall, a dormitory designed to be connected to the new $14 million Blank building, was evacuated. The botany and chemistry buildings also were cleared and police also closed several downtown streets to traffic. Several area fire departments were called to the scene about 11:30 a.m. to assist Iowa City firefighters.
Man died in east Cork accident
The HSA is investigating the death of a 24-year-old man who was killed in an industrial accident in east Cork today. The man, who is believed to have been from Youghal, was working at a garage at Carrigshane in Midleton which specialises in servicing and re-fitting commercial fuel tanks. The man had been welding a fuel tank when an explosion occurred. A post-mortem is to be carried out, and his name will not be released until his family has been informed.
16-year-old welder burnt to death in Shuwaikh fire
KUWAIT CITY: A Syrian welder, Mohannad Ali, 16, was seriously burnt and he died on the spot when a diesel tanker truck he was working on in Shuwaikh, near Souk Al-Mirah, caught fire Saturday.The flames engulfed another diesel tanker truck parked nearby and scalded another person, who was admitted to Sabah Hospital. Major Mohammed Abdullah Al-Shatti, head of the Public Relations and Awareness Department at the Kuwait Fire Service Directorate told the Arab Times, firefighters from Al-Shuhada and Shuwaikh fire stations were called to the scene at 1.50 pm. He said about 20 firefighters from the two stations led by Major Ibrahim Al-Shatti and Lt Mohammed Al-Manna were able to put out the fire by 2.06 pm. Al-Shatti said the tankers were empty, but the fire preceded by an explosion, may have been caused by sparks from the welding rod coming into contact with left-over inflammable material. Soon after the fire was put out, the fire fighters were called to a pastry shop, also in Shuwaikh, where a split air condition hd caught fire. It was quickly put out. Maid hurt: An Indonesian maid – identified only as Nour – who jumped from the second floor window of her sponsor’s apartment in Salwa in a vain attempt to escape from him, has been admitted to the intensive care unit of a hospital with several fractures all over her body, reports Al-Anba daily. Suicide bid: A Sri Lankan maid tried to commit suicide by jumping from the roof of her sponsor’s house in Shamiya. The ‘victim’ has been admitted to the Amiri Hospital with several fractures all over her body. A case of suicide attempt has been registered against the maid. Salesman stabbed: Police are looking for an unidentified person who allegedly escaped with KD 70 and four cellular phones after stabbing an Asian salesman at a cell-phone shop in Sabah Al-Nasser, reports Al-Rai Al-Aam daily. The salesman was admitted to Farwaniya Hospital with deep cuts to his head, chest and shoulder. Personnel from the Criminal Evidences Department lifted fingerprints. By H. Hashim Ahmed – Arab Times Staff
Fire slows construction
Livingston Fire Department responded to an attic fire at the new apartments on Country Club Drive at 2:53 p.m. on Friday, August 15. Welders working on the apartments, which are not yet complete, accidentally started the fire and then left. Construction workers on the scene called 911. Livingston Fire Department was on the scene within three minutes. According to one firefighter, the attic was engulfed in flames when they arrived and smoke could be seen as far away as Lake LU and the Livingston Fire Department building. Firefighters that responded were Andy Slayton, Antoine Berry, Keith Booker, Dexter Johnson, Chris Scott, Park Edwards, Nancy Larkin, Russell Keene, Erik Shirley and ShyAnn Sasser. Public Safety officers that responded were Chief Ashley Welborn and Josette White. Hiram Patrenos and Brian Crawford own the new apartments, which have not been named yet. Patrenos said that he did not have a dollar figure as to the damage, but said that the fire would set construction back about two months.
One injured, 12 homeless in South Heights fire; Fire started during construction work causes $25,000 in damage
BY PHIL ROCKROHR Times Staff Writer
SOUTH CHICAGO HEIGHTS — One man was injured, 12 people left homeless and $25,000 in damage caused when an apartment building caught fire behind Village Hall Friday morning. About 40 firefighters from at least 11 departments helped extinguish the fire at Eagle Ridge apartments, 3343 Commercial Ave., within 30 minutes, said Larry Nardoni, assistant fire chief of South Chicago Heights. The fire started when workers were soldering pipes in a vacant apartment on the second floor of the two-story building, said Brock Hanna, an owner of the complex. Don Nyblom, a maintenance worker at Eagle Ridge, suffered second- and third-degree burns to his hands trying to extinguish the fire, Hanna said. Nyblom was taken to St. James Hospital and Health Centers in Chicago Heights, Nardoni said. Hospital officials could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon. South Chicago Heights Fire Department received an emergency call about the fire at about 9:14 a.m., Nardoni said. “Our first unit arrived within minutes,” he said. “Smoke was coming off of the second floor, from two apartments on the south side of the building. Our people started to attack the fire, and we went to the box (alarm) level due to the heat.” Firefighters responded from Crete, Steger, Steger Estates, Sauk Village, Chicago Heights, Park Forest, Lynwood, Homewood, Flossmoor and University Park, Nardoni said. “Everybody else helped out,” he said. “Everybody got out of their apartments safely.” All of the 10 apartments at 3343 Commercial Ave. suffered smoke damage, and at least four suffered water damage, Nardoni said. Four of the apartments were destroyed and must be rebuilt, Hanna said. Firefighters had to cut a whole in a roof owners just recently installed, he said. Both Hanna and Nardoni estimated the damage at about $25,000. Hanna said he contacted the Red Cross to offer assistance to residents who were displaced. Hanna also offered to help them himself, if possible. Eight apartments must be vacated, he said. “Our tenants are not that well-to-do,” Hanna said. “Pretty much all their worthy possessions are here. I don’t know who has insurance. We’re going to try to help them the best we can.” Hanna said he will let residents out of their leases if they want to find new apartments while the damaged units are repaired. “They’re our customers,” he said. “We’ve gotten to know quite a few of them and we care about them. Some are very upset, as you can imagine.” Residents said they were confident Hanna and other owners would provide accommodations, if necessary. John Quantanilla, 34, whose apartment is next door to the one that caught fire, said he has relatives in South Chicago Heights, if the owners are unable to provide a place for him to stay. Juanita Robson, 58, and Kathy Manley, 54, who also live in the building, said they have renter’s insurance that should cover their losses. June Hanaman, 82, who lives on the first floor, said she does not have insurance, but owners of the complex offered to provide accommodations, if necessary.
Barge fire disrupts traffic on river, welding on bridge; Cause of blaze under investigation by Coast Guard
A fire aboard a barge carrying gasoline on the Ohio River yesterday shut down river traffic for about four hours. A tow traveling downriver with three barges was preparing to enter the McAlpine locks when a fire broke out on one of them about 11:40 a.m., said Lt. Tom Lake of the U.S. Coast Guard’s marine safety office in Louisville. The river was reopened at 3:50 p.m., said U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Commander Paul Mehler. Barge workers were able to extinguish the fire immediately with foam, Lake said. The coast guard sprayed water on the barge where the fire broke out to make sure it did not re-ignite, he said. Two of the barges, which belong to Marathon Ashland Petroleum, were carrying gasoline, and the third held a shipment of diesel, Mehler said. Marathon Ashland issued a written statement saying that no gasoline leaked into the river. The company said it is investigating the fire, as is the Coast Guard. Marathon Ashland said sparks from welding and construction work on the Clark Memorial Bridge may have ignited vapors on the barge’s deck. Mehler said the fire is still under investigation. He added that Marathon Ashland’s hypothesis is one of the possible causes being investigated after the barge’s crew reported seeing sparks. Crews working on the bridge were asked to stop welding during the fire and to take safety precautions after the fire was contained.
Fire breaks out in Delhi cinema hall
Wednesday, 20 August , 2003, 16:08
New Delhi: A minor fire broke out on Wednesday at a cinema hall being demolished for Delhi Metro construction in West Delhi. The fire erupted in the sound-proofing system of Vivek Cinema in Patel Nagar area at 0900hrs Wednesday morning. The cinema hall was vacant as it was being demolished for the construction of Barahkhamba-Dwarka metro line and hence there were no casualities. “Fifteen fire tenders immediately rushed to the spot as it was a fire in the hall and they worked till 1320hrs to ensure that the blaze was completely put down,” fire department sources told UNI. They said that the fire broke out when the metro workers were carrying out welding in the empty cinema hall. However, according to Delhi Metro spokesman Anuj Dayal the minor fire broke out in the sound-proofing system of the hall and it was ‘brought under control within five minutes.’
UPDATE Family of welder killed in explosion sues; Widow, brother say unsafe conditions caused man’s death
By Benjamin Gedan, Globe Correspondent, 8/20/2003
FRAMINGHAM — Relatives of a welder who died in a July explosion at the Triram Corporation asphalt plant in Framingham are suing the company for allegedly maintaining unsafe working conditions and failing to prepare the site for metal work. Christopher Lyon, a private contractor from Connecticut, was injured on July 3 while installing a catwalk atop a 15,000 gallon storage tank. The 26-foot tank, which held a volatile combination of liquid asphalt and petroleum solvents, exploded while Lyon was working on it, hurling him more than 50 feet. Lyon, 31, died from his injuries two weeks later at Massachusetts General Hospital. ”There seem to be enormous gaps in safety precautions,” said Joanne D’Alcomo, who is representing Lyon’s brother and widow in the lawsuit. ”We’re trying to find out why they didn’t warn him, why it wasn’t a safe place to work.” The lawsuit, filed on Aug. 8 in Middlesex Superior Court in Cambridge, seeks damages from six related corporate entities, including a Holliston company that allegedly installed the liquid asphalt tank that erupted in flames. Company officials have refused to discuss the explosion and declined to detail the business relationship between The Hudson Companies, which owns Triram and is based in Rhode Island, and Sunderland-based All State Asphalt Inc., the parent company for New England Emulsions in Holliston. They have made no statements related to federal, state, and local investigations into the explosion, or responded publicly to findings that Triram lacked permits for several of its massive storage tanks. Asked about the lawsuit yesterday, Richard J. Miller, executive vice president of All State Asphalt, said only, ”I have nothing to say,” before hanging up. James H. Reilly, an attorney for The Hudson Companies, did not return repeated calls for comment. The wrongful death complaint, which lists Dale and Bernardette Lyon as plaintiffs, accuses the companies of hiring Christopher Lyon to undertake work they knew was ”inherently dangerous and life threatening.” The facility’s safety policies, the lawsuit alleges, were in ”total disregard and in violation of safety regulations and statutes.” There is no court date set for the trial. Last week, Triram agreed not to disassemble its storage facilities until they are inspected by a private investigator, D’Alcomo said. On Monday, she sent the companies a 38-page request for thousands of internal documents about safety procedures and permit records. The information would reveal the origin of the tanks and outline the business ties between the companies. An investigation by the Framingham Fire Department has found that Lyon never applied for a welding permit, which would have required emptying the tank or treating it with inert gasses to neutralize the flammable material before commencing construction. An investigator from the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration said the tank exploded after welders, using a cutting torch, ignited fumes above the storage tower. But D’Alcomo said the permitting rules and safety precautions were probably unknown to Lyon, and should have been followed by plant managers who better understood the regulations and risks. Though he had billed Triram for $30,000 in metal work since January, she said, Lyon was not an expert in asphalt products. He trusted his employers to guarantee safe working conditions, she said. ”These folks operated an asphalt facility; they had been in the business for years and certainly had knowledge of what the dangers of asphalt products are,” she said. ”He felt it was a safe working environment, and now we know it was not.”
Broomfield man’s recovery from burns slow; Family tries to help popular handyman through accident
By Jennifer Edmonds, Enterprise Staff Writer August 16, 2003
Now he’s asking the Broomfield community to save Garry’s. Love and Colgin were trout fishing in the Black Canyon near Gunnison. The two were at 3,400 feet and on loose gravel when Love fell into the river with his back pack on. “There was nothing to hold onto and Garry saved my life. He got a hold of my feet and pulled me up,” Charlie said. “If he’s your friend, he’ll do anything for you.” Garry, a former Rocky Flats welder who lives in Broomfield with his wife, Sherry, is fondly referred to as “MacGyver” for the welding and carpentry work he does for family and friends. But while working on daughter Kim Espinosa’s water lines in her newly restored bathroom on Wolff Street in Wesminster, the torch he was welding with leaked. It filled the bathroom with propane and when he hit the striker he was involved in a flash fire. Rich Welz, a Westminster Fire Department technical services coordinator, said the heat was intense. “There was no flame but just as hot as if you walk into an oven,” Welz said. Garry’s family said he managed to get out of the bathroom and shut the propane torch off. He put some of the fire out and called 911 then collapsed. The Broomfield resident of 20 years suffered from fourth degree burns to 55 percent of his body. The husband and father of three women, has been in University Hospital since the mid-June accident, heavily sedated almost to the point of a medically induced coma, according to his family. Doctors have used three different sources to restore Garry’s body because so much of it was burned. He has already undergone 11 surgeries, including three to remove dead tissue and another to remove fungus, according to his family. After his skin begins to repair, Garry will have to wear pressurized garments 23 hours a day for the next two years, to protect his skin and reduce scarring. “It’s been a rollercoaster ride,” his wife said. Doctors told Garry’s family he will be in the hospital for four to six months, followed by a year of daily wound treatment. In the best case scenario, it will take the 55-year-old seven to 10 years to get back to where he was before the accident. Love, Garry Colgin’s high school friend from Kansas, is unsure of Garry’s fate. “I don’t know if he’s going to live through it, but if he does, he’ll be all right. He won’t sit still for long,” Love said. The Colgin family is relying on their faith to help Garry pull through. “We’ve done a lot of praying,” Sherry said. She said she’s ready to have her husband back. “My husband and I have separate alarms and I keep turning on my husband’s alarm in my sleep. I think it’s my subconscious saying it’s time to wake up,” Sherry said. “We had our 36th wedding anniversary in the hospital June 23rd. I told him I didn’t like the place he chose.” Charlie doesn’t plan to let Garry sleep much longer, either. “I went in (to the hospital) and chewed him out. I told him he promised me a fishing trip and he needs to get up,” he said. One thing is clear, everybody who knows Garry is pulling for him. “His wife is down (at the hospital)before six every morning and Kim sings to him every day,” Love said. “I know they may need some help, but their proud people.” Family friend Vicky Greff said Sherry’s devotion to her husband has made it difficult to maintain her work schedule and provide for their family and anything the community can do for them would be incredible. Gary’s daughter said it costs $70,000 a day to keep him in the intensive care burn unit and while there is no cap on the insurance, they wonder how long their good fortune will last. “No matter how great insurance is, there is a limit,” Espinoza said. The women also learned small details in their home will have to change once Garry is released from the hospital. “He won’t be able to turn things, so all handles will have to be changed on doors and faucets,” Espinoza said. The Colgin’s said they aren’t asking for money, but Espinoza said warm wishes from the community would help. “We would like cards to plaster on his walls so he can see all the support and knows people are fighting for him,” spinoza said. Regardless, Love set up an account for them. Sherry and Kim said they will donate any extra funds to other burn victims. BOX IT: Send donations to Garry Colgin c/o Vectra Bank 1990 West 10th Avenue, Broomfield, CO 80020. Cards may be mailed to 7561 Wolff Street, Westminster, CO 80030.
No injuries in Thursday fire
A structure fire Thursday afternoon near Seafield resulted in property damage but no injuries. At approximately 1:15 p.m. Thursday, the Wolcott Fire Department responded to a report of a fire in a swine barn at the Irvin and Shirley Furrer farm, County Road 2357 N-600 W, about a mile north of US 24 and two miles east of Wolcott. The Reynolds Volunteer Fire Department and Remington Volunteer Fire Department responded with tanker and pumper trucks and mutual aid. According to Wolcott Assistant Fire Chief Jack Buntin, the floor of the building was being redone, so no animals were inside the building at the time of the fire. The fire is believed to have been caused by a stray spark from a welder, he said. “They took all the precautions they could,” said Wolcott Assistant Chief Jack Buntin. “It was just one of those freak things.” No damage estimate was available Thursday.
Firemen battle blaze
By: Matthew Houpt 08/14/2003
Workers were evacuated from Gordon Waste Company last Wednesday after a fire ignited in the back of the warehouse. Jim Boymier, an employee at the recycling business, said that a co-worker was repairing a conveyer belt using a welder when flying sparks ignited paper shreds travelling above on the belt. The burning paper continued to travel on the belt until it looped under the floor where it ignited some cardboard boxes. “I couldn’t see the fire, but I saw smoke coming up from under the floor so we called for help. Better safe than sorry, you know?” Boymier said. Get the complete story in this week’s Columbia Ledger.
Fire ignites at Tampa Tank on East Adamo DriveSaturday, August 16th
An investigation is underway into a fire and explosion in Tampa on Friday night. A worker at Tampa Tank on East Adamo Drive was using an acetylene torch when it caught on fire. He was able to put out the fire, but it re-ignited and spread beyond his control. Two or three 30-gallon acetylene tanks under a tree exploded. There is some damage to a building, but no reports of injuries.
Two Hurt in Gas Line Accident; Fire department says plumbing crew caused pipe to blow up
By Mark Hall
Two Shoreline Plumbing workers were injured Wednesday after they accidentally ignited as natural gas line between 1995 and 2005 Moyo Drive. According to the Lake Havasu City Fire Department, the workers were sweating a water line with a torch. Believing that an adjacent pipe was a water bubbler line, they continued their work until the line blew up. River Medical transported one worker to Havasu Regional Medical Center for moderate burns he suffered to the face and hands, fire personnel said. The other worker stayed at the scene. Flames spewed out of the hole in the ground from 8:33 to 10:10 a.m., before UniSource Energy Services (formerly Citizens Arizona Gas) workers and firefighters smothered the flames with water and clamped the gas line. The hole was located south of two apartment buildings that were evacuated by the fire department. Workers attempted to gain access to the line by digging a hole into the pavement on Moyo Drive, which was located in front of the leak. However, they were unable to find the line, therefore the smother and clamp procedure was executed. While flames spewed out of the ground, firefighters sprayed nearby vegetation to prevent it from being damaged by the heat.
Prince William school catches fire during construction
Associated Press August 14, 2003
HAYMARKET — A high school under construction in Prince William County caught fire when a worker accidentally ignited foam insulation on the roof. A plumber using a cutting torch lit the petroleum-based insulation at about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, said Battalion Chief C. Hadden Culp of the Prince William Department of Fire and Rescue. It took 60 firefighters from Prince William, Loudoun, Fauquier and Fairfax counties and Manassas one hour to control the fire, which destroyed a stack of insulation and charred the roof. The side of the building sustained heavy smoke stains. Damage costs were not available. The unnamed school is in the Dominion Valley area north of Haymarket. A high school under construction in Woodbridge also caught fire in May when a worker accidentally ignited foam insulation. Part of the roof at that school was destroyed. No one was hurt in either fire.
Worker killed in plant explosion
02:05 PM CDT on Thursday, August 14, 2003 From Staff Reports
A man was killed when a spark from his torch triggered an explosion Thursday at a Tarrant County oil and gas plant. Tarrant County sheriff’s Chief Deputy Jay Six said the man was working atop a 75-foot tower at the Eagle Mountain Pipeline plant on Hicks Field Road when something ignited, causing the explosion. The man was doing contract work inside a tube used to vent carbon dioxide for a natural gas pipeline at the plant, which was closed. The incident was reported around 9:30 a.m. His name was withheld pending notification of relatives. Six said the man appeared to be in his mid-30s. He was a contract worker with Prime Contractors. The plant is majority owned by Chief Oil and Gas in Dallas. Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson told WFAA-TV the man’s body was still in the tower. Anderson said the tower likely would have to be dismantled to remove the body. No other injuries were reported and there were no visible signs of damage, Six said. There was no danger to the public and no need to evacuate the area, he said.
Roof work sparks fire at SE Portland school
08/13/03 LYS MENDEZ
Fire investigators say a four-alarm fire Monday at Binnsmead Middle School was started by roofing contractors using a propane torch to apply roofing materials. Jack Finders, spokesman for the Portland Fire and Rescue Bureau, said the fire smoldered for several hours before burning through the roof. Because the fire was confined to the auditorium roof, school will start as scheduled on Sept. 3, said Lew Frederick, Portland Public Schools spokesman. Finders said the fire did $1.5 million in structural damage plus $300,000 in damage to the contents of the Southeast Portland school. Most of the damage inside the auditorium was caused by water. This was the seventh school fire, some intentionally set, in the Portland and Vancouver areas in the past year. Portland schools are self-insured, but Frederick said MacDonald Welte, the roofing contractor, is expected to cover the costs of this fire. Construction crews were working on a $2 million project to repair the roof at Binnsmead and were almost done with the auditorium, said Pam Brown, director of facilities at the school. Brown said two months’ worth of work on the auditorium was lost. Workers had attached flashing to the roof, heating it with torches to make the self-adhesive backing stick, before leaving the site at 3 p.m. Monday. The Fire Bureau received a call about the fire at 6:10 p.m. and arrived at 2225 S.E. 87th Ave. in four minutes. Only two small classrooms and office space in the back of the auditorium were damaged, making it unlikely that the school year will be delayed, Frederick said. “We still have to determine how safe the school is,” he said. “We have to do air monitoring and check the structure, but this will be taking place over the next few days.” About 770 sixth- through eighth-graders attend the school. About 45 percent speak English as a second language, presenting school officials with the challenge of sending out notices to families who speak more than 22 languages, Frederick said. A hot line will be available for parents who want information about the fire in the five primary languages of the school: English, Spanish, Cantonese, Russian and Vietnamese. Frederick said Monday’s school fire has caused the most damage, surpassing the $1 million in damage caused by a fire at Lent Elementary in Southeast Portland on Feb. 17. The cause of that three-alarm fire was determined to be arson. No arrests have been made in connection with the Lent fire. Binnsmead’s auditorium is used at the beginning of the school year for welcoming assemblies, which now will take place in the cafeteria or the gym, Frederick said. Monday’s fire was fought from the sides of the auditorium because firefighters couldn’t determine how much weight the roof could hold, making it difficult to contain the fire. A trench was cut in the middle of the roof, and the fire was controlled at 7:56 p.m. A firefighter cut his hand, but there were no serious injuries. Frederick said that staff and parents were at the scene Monday night to express their support to the school. “This is a close-kni community,” he said, “and this is going to pull the community closer together.”
Spark from welder likely cause of fatal explosion
By JORDAN DRACKLEY, Courier Staff Writer
NEW HARTFORD – A man killed in an explosion Monday may have been welding on or near a waste oil barrel. Todd Johnson, 40, was working alone in the shop at the time. He died from injuries he received in the explosion and resulting fire. Shane Ballhagen, the New Hartford assistant fire chief, said Tuesday an employee at Todd’s Repair shop had broken a pipe that funneled oil into the tank last week and Johnson was most likely trying to repair it. fter spending Tuesday digging through rubble, firefighters found welding equipment near the barrel. The State Fire Marshal believes Johnson was preparing to weld a cap on the tank, according to Ballhagen. “That was the explosion everyone heard,” Ballhagen said. Johnson had pulled a water hose over to the area in case of a spot fire, he said. His welding safety equipment was also near the site. When the barrel exploded, burning oil was thrown across the shop. Neighbor Wayne Thoren heard the explosion and saw Johnson running out of the building, his clothes on fire. “I didn’t know what to do right quick, so I just grabbed the comforter off the bed,” he said. “My brother-in-law, Verne Dennis, grabbed him and threw him on the ground. I threw the blanket on him.” He said everything else was a blur. Others called the fire department. “I just stayed right there with him. I tried to comfort him as best I possibly could. I just waited,” he said. “It seemed like an eternity.” Johnson was sent to Sartori Hospital in Cedar Falls and airlifted to a burn unit at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. He died late Monday. Friends and family have placed flowers and candles near the shop, Thoren said. Johnson’s stepfather, John McEnaney, said he’d been in business about 10 years at two different shops in New Hartford. “He was there to help anybody he could whenever he could,” he said. “Never took advantage of anybody. “He was a great family man. Everybody knew him. He didn’t have an enemy in the world,” McEnaney added. “He’s going to be greatly missed by all.”
Fire breaks out at Motera
Express News Service
Ahmedabad, August 11: A fire broke out at the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium at Motera on Monday afternoon destroying more than 200 discarded wooden and plastic chairs and other material. Besides, the transformer room of the stadium was partially damaged in the incident. However, nobody was reported injured. According to Ahmedabad Fire Brigade (AFB), the fire was caused when a burning piece of metal fell on the chairs and fibre and plastic sheets near the scoreboard where some electric welding work was in progress. In minutes, all the inflammable material stored near the scoreboard, on the western end of the stadium, caught fire. The fire brigade used three fire tenders, six water tankers and more than fifty to put out the flames in about 45 minutes. According to fire brigade officials, the fire was caused as the workers, engaged in the electric welding work, had not taken care to remove the inflammable materials away from the vicinity of their place of work. A statement released later in the day by President of the Gujarat Cricket Association Narhari Amin said the fire had caused a loss of about Rs 20,000-25,000. However, GSA’s Honorary Secretary Vikram Patel said there was no negligence on part of any staff working at the stadium and it was merely an accident.
Hundreds evacuated from Chelmsford firm’s headquarters
By JACK MINCH Sun Staff Tuesday, August 12, 2003
CHELMSFORD On the heels of moving into its new worldwide headquarters on Mill Road last month, Zoll Medical Corp. had to briefly evacuate yesterday because of a two-alarm fire. The blaze, which was blamed on a welding job, started near the receiving dock about 11:31 a.m. yesterday. Black clouds of smoke billowed into the air from the rear of the building until the blaze was doused 15 or 20 minutes after firefighters arrived. The flames reached from the foundation to the top of the wall and the roof over the receiving doors. A silver aluminum skin exterior near the dock melted with insulation. “It just caused that to extend somewhat into the walls,” said Capt. Rick Rivard. Most of the company’s employees milled in the parking lot, along with workers for Siemens, which shares one of the two co-joined buildings. They played catch with a football, talked on cellular telephones and found shelter from the sun in the shade of trees lining the parking lot. Most of the damage was limited to the exterior of the building though a sprinkler inside did go on, said Fire Chief John E. “Jack” Parow. Employees were back the three-story buildings later in the day. Welders working on the doors created a hot spot between partitions which started the blaze, Rivard said. Officials indicated tools used by contractors in the area might have set the fire. “One of the workers was using some kind of soldering tool that overheated,” said chief financial officer Ernie Whiton. The fire doors were closed between the two buildings and damage inside was limited, said Ed Dunn, vice president of operations. Boxes and shelves inside the receiving doors appeared undamaged from a short distance away. Zoll manufacturers medical equipment such as external defibrillators and pace makers for treating cardiac arrest and heart arrhythmia. The company moved from Burlington in July and started operations on July 28. Even without the benefit of a fire drill since moving into the building, it was evacuated easily, officials said. The building is owned by Boston Properties and subleased from Tellabs. It was unclear yesterday who will be responsible for footing the bill for repairs. Discussions will be made between the three companies and the company working on the receiving dock. “When you add it all up we’ve got a lot of people to check with,” said Ernie Whiton, Zoll’s chief financial officer.
UPDATE Blame is shared for Duke oil tank fire
EarthTech was the contractor blamed in the fire at Duke Energy in Moss Landing. EarthTech employees did use a cutting torch on the tank. Now that those facts are out, consider these facts: The tanks belonged to Duke, which was supposed to have emptied them. As the entity holding the contract to dismantle the tanks, Duke had the responsibility to manage that contract, to assure that all precautions were followed, such as inspecting each tank prior to start of work and having an employee known as a contract manager present during the course of work. EarthTech should not shoulder the entire blame for this fiasco. Duke had ultimate responsibility. It was their tank, their oil and their contract. True, EarthTech should have checked out the tank beforehand. That is the one thing I haven’t seen in the press. Did EarthTech check the tank first? If not, why? It could’ve been because of assurances from Duke, or an assumption that because one tank was empty the others were empty as well. Dismantling a fuel tank is like cleaning a gun: Check the chamber and remove any bullets before proceeding. We all know what happens when you fail to check that chamber. Walter Keplinger Salinas
Torch ignites fluid, injures worker
(Friday, August 08, 2003 Jennifer Roy
Business in the service department came to a standstill Thursday afternoon at Mike Brown Ford. Instead of thoughts of fixing cars and trucks, employees were now concerned for one of their own. Arnold Makara, 49, of Bluff Dale was injured while working with a torch in the service area. Granbury fire inspector Kevin Jones said the torch Makara was using somehow ignited fumes from some brake cleaning fluid that was stored in the area. “I’m not sure how it ignited, but that chemical is extremely flammable,” Jones said. “The lid was firmly in place, it must have been just some fumes or something.” Makara suffered burns to his hands, singed hair and scorched clothing. He was taken by CareFlite to Parkland Hospital in Dallas where he was treated and released.
Fire at International Paper Site
Erie fire officials say demolition crews accidentally started a fire at the former International Paper Site on East Lake Road Saturday night. irefighters were called to the property around 6:30 p.m. he fire started inside a 12-story building known as the digester. The former paper making facility is in the process of being demolished. Fire officials say sparks from a welder`s torch ignited some wood chips and insulation inside the building. Crews were on scene for three and-a-half hours putting out the fire and hot spots. They say some sections of the fire were difficult to get to. One firefighter was taken to the hospital and treated for heat exhaustion.
MAN BURNED IN FIRE
Associated Program : Newsline 9 Live at 5 August 6, 2003
ONE PERSON IS HOSPITALIZED.. AFTER A FIRE IN PLOVER THIS MORINING. IT HAPPENED AT THE PLOVER ETHANOL PLANT ON HIGHWAY 54. WITNESSES SAY THAT A WORKER AT THE PLANT WAS DOING SOME WELDING AND THAT SPARKED THE SMALL FIRE. THE WORKER WAS BURNED AND WAS FLOWN TO A BURN CENTER IN MADISON. THE PLANT MAKES FUEL GRADE ETHANOL BUT IT WILL BE SHUT DOWN FOR SEVERAL DAYS WHILE REPAIRS ARE MADE TO THE BUILDING. THERE ARE 6 WORKERS AT THE PLANT.
Fire ruins attic
Tuesday, August 05, 2003 By Christine Tognetti
SAN MARTIN – What started off as a normal installation of a water softener turned into an attic fire Monday afternoon causing more than $250,000 worth of damage. Elouise Hartman was coming home from a quick trip the store when she noticed gusts of smoke in the sky. “I could tell it was in my neighborhood, but as I got closer I started to realize this might be my house,” Hartman said. The smoke was pouring out of her attic at 12600 Sycamore Road in San Martin, where an employee of Culligan Water was installing a new water softener pipe. According to California Department of Forestry Fire Capt. Paramedic Mike Matheisen, while installing the pipe, the sparks from the welding ignighted the insulation causing the fire. CDF/South County responded quickly with five fire engines, 22 firefighters and two fire chiefs. They were able to contain the fire quickly and minimize the damage. The fire was located directly above the master bedroom. Matheisen said firefighters used an approach where they located the fire, drew a line and then pushed the fire back by entering the ceiling from the area not yet burned. “We approached the fire very aggressively, and we’re lucky to have had this contained when we did,” Matheisen said. “The wind was blowing and some of the skylights were open in the attic. We could have lost much more.” Hartman sat on the lawn and watched the firefighters save what they could of her home. “I just can’t believe this,” she said. “I just had a new roof put on two months ago.”
ISU project scorched
By Steven Friederich and Tanna Barry – Journal Writers
POCATELLO – It took only moments for a fire to start on the roof of Idaho State University’s yet-to-be completed performing arts center on Monday, and it took firefighters less than an hour to put it out. Damage did not appear to be extensive. The fire on the roof of the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center started when sparks from a welder’s torch ignited insulation and tar paper on the west side of the concert hall roof around noon. The fire spread quickly from the rubber roofing material to the foam underneath, filling the sky with “one huge, big, black plume” of smoke, according to Travis Packer, who was working at the nearby Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ stake center. Pocatello Fire Department Division Chief Kevin Quick confirmed the sparks as the fire’s source. He said a welder was on the roof when the fire started, but the welder and 104 other construction workers on site were evacuated within 50 feet of the building. No one was hurt. ISU officials said construction crews uld estimate damage today to determine how long the construction was delayed and how much it will cost to replace the charred roofing, said ISU’s Vice President for University Advancement Kent Tingey. Workers started the roofing only last week, said Sletten Construction spokesman Josh Guisti. Sletten is the main contractor for the $35 million building, which is scheduled for completion next fall. Steel underneath the roof served to protect the rest of the building from any fire damage, Quick said. When Darrell Buffaloe, ISU’s physical plant director, arrived on scene, he said it looked like flames reached 20 feet above the roof of the concert hall. He could see the orange flames jumping while the dark smoke filled the sky. “It scared the daylights out of me, but it looked worse than it really was,” he said. “It is just unfortunate.” Buffaloe said he doesn’t believe the fire will slow construction much because the fire was limited to just the roof over the concert hall. The fire was reported at 12:21 p.m. and it took about 40 minutes to extinguish, Quick said. After the fire was officially out, firefighters stayed on the roof to control “hot spots.” Quick said he had to call in almost everyone on his force – including a couple off-duty firefighters – to control the blaze. A tower truck was used to handle the fire because stairs do not reach the roof. Tingey said the building is insured by both Sletten and the state.
UPDATE Investigators look into how tank was labeled
By Benjamin Gedan, Globe Correspondent, 8/4/2003
Fire investigators are looking into whether Triram Corp. properly labeled the 15,000 gallon storage tank that exploded on July 3, killing a welder, Framingham Fire Chief Michael Smith said Friday. Smith said investigators were focusing on whether the labeling on the tank indicated that the tank’s contents were highly flammable and whether it provided adequate safety information. ”They are mandated to identify the product and have the proper paperwork,” Smith said. ”All of that has to meet very specific specifications and compliance.” The tank holding liquid asphalt and petroleum solvents exploded after welders using a cutting torch ignited fumes atop the 26-foot high structure. Christopher Lyon, an independent contractor from Connecticut, died July 14 from injuries he suffered in the explosion. His assistant, whose name has not been released, survived the accident. Smith said the company never received a license for the tank, a process that would have required a site inspection and scrutiny of its labeling procedures. A placard on the tank omitted the phrase ”cut back,” a term used to describe the volatile mixture of liquid asphalt and petroluem solvents that the tank contained. He said labeling on the tank was required to list safety precautions and flammability information. A report from a private fire engineer, expected to be released this week, will address the labeling issue. State officials shut down the plant following the explosion; it has remained closed pending the engineer’s evaluation. Donald Cunningham, president of Triram Corp., did not return several calls for comment. Francis O’Brien, chief operating officer for Rhode Island-based The Hudson Companies, which owns Triram, also was unavailable for comment. The welders had been constructing a catwalk atop the tank, which was recently installed at the facility, located near downtown Framingham. It was one of several new tanks at Triram’s Waverly Street site, none of which received approval by the Framingham Board of Selectmen, Smith said. The company had proper paperwork for storage tanks that had been previously installed, but Smith said he would consider asking the selectmen to rescind those licenses. An investigation by the state fire marshal’s office found several permitting violations, including the failure to obtain a state permit for keeping tanks that hold more than 10,000 gallons. The Framingham facility houses at least 12 above-ground tanks that each store more than 10,000 gallons of liquid asphalt, according to Framingham Fire Marshal Joe Leone. The welders lacked a permit from the Fire Department to work on the storage tanks, state and local officials said. The permit would have required the company to either empty the tank or treat it with inert gases. Last week, the fire marshal’s office turned over documents to the Middlesex district attorney, said Jennifer Mieth, a spokeswoman for the fire marshal’s office. District Attorney Martha Coakley will determine whether the asphalt manufacturer violated any criminal laws. The company, meanwhile, is being investigated by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA investigators could fine Triram up to $70,000 for any willful violations of federal workplace safety codes.
Mid-day mayhem
BY GARY CARTER HERALD DEMOCRAT
A welding accident led to a two-alarm blaze on Breezy Hill in south Denison, and after a few hours, part of the former Grayson County Shopper office was no more. Jason Hightower was among a crew of workers with Arizona Fence, one of two businesses leasing space in the building, and he said they were welding Friday afternoon at the Texoma Parkway site when, “one spark, it just started right up. There was nothing we could do.” He said the welding torch caught some insulation on fire, and before they could get to the extinguisher, the blaze had spread. He and two other men scrambled out of the building. One of them, Nathaniel Wynn, received second-degree burns on his hands and arms before the fire boiled out of control. Denison firefighters were called out at 3:52 p.m., and soon two trucks were needed to battle the blaze. Thick, black smoke ate away at the metal building as flames jumped from the inside out. Office material was catching fire, making an eerie red glow from inside. Soon a firetruck’s horn blasted three times, warning those firefighter’s battling the blaze to pull back. The firefighters took a defensive position as they knew the building contained acetylene bottles full of highly flammable oxygen for welding. “There’s eight of them in there, they’re going to go up,” Hightower said just minutes before one of the bottles blew. One firefighter jumped from a door jarred open by the blast. Shortly after, another bottle blew, sending debris flying straight up through the metal roof, blowing a hole in it. Black smoke soon vented through that hole, and another bottle blew. The intense heat got to some of the firefighters as another ambulance was called to the scene to provide IV bags for three dehydrated firefighters. Watching as the building started to sag, Hightower said, “We’re done. We don’t have any insurance. We’re just done.” He said they’d been in the building less than a week, and haven’t even turned on the phones yet. “Guess we won’t need to now.” As firefighters concentrated on the burning building, grass behind it caught fire. Whipped by hot, heavy winds, another crew of firefighters were called to keep that small fire in check. Lt. Bill Ray with the Denison Fire Department said in all, 11 different emergency vehicles and 23 men were needed to battle the blaze. Reminded of a similar fire at storage sheds near the bowling alley a couple of summers ago, Lt. Ray said both fires were fought in the searing heat, taking a toll on firefighters. Both were in metal buildings. He said the blowing bottles added a bit of extra danger to this weekend’s fire, “but that one at the storage sheds, it was much more compact, much more difficult to fight.” As the police officers who kept the traffic flowing got hot in Friday’s 105-degree temperatures, so did members of the media and those watching their place of businesses disappear. Two women from the Yellow Rose Saloon across the street kept a steady stream of ice cold water bottles flowing to those nearby. Family members comforted those who lost their work in the blaze. Lt. Ray said the fire burned for nearly four and a half hours. It was two hours into the blaze before they had it under control. The building is a total loss, but no value has been placed on the loss yet. Wayne Cox, who owns the building, showed up shortly after the blaze began and watched as it burned, asking the welfare of those inside the building when it began.
UPDATE Human error cause of plant fire
By MONICA TORLINE AND JOHN JARVISThe Marion Star
MARION — The state fire marshal’s office and Marion City Fire Department have determined that employee error caused the fire that put Ohio Galvanizing Co. out of operation temporarily. The fire Monday evening destroyed four of six polypropylene tanks used by the company to remove rust and mill scale from steel before galvanizing, and damaged two other tanks. All six will be replaced. In order to heat the tanks, which contain hydrochloric acid, employees use a “hot stick,” a large steel cylinder with natural gas inside. Workers use acetylene torches to light the hot sticks before they are lowered by a crane into the tanks. On Monday, an employee left an acetylene torch next to one of the six tanks in the building. “When he came back with the crane, the tank was on fire,” Marion City Fire Capt. Terry Bowdre said Thursday. “The guy feels real bad about it.” Company vice president Frank Bellamy declined to name the employee or comment on whether the employee would lose his job over the error, but took some solace in having a reason for the fire identified. “At least we know what caused it this time. I feel bad for the employee, but knowing what the cause is versus the first time makes me feel …,” his voice trailed off. “I can accept that a little better.” The first time was on July 22, 2001. The state fire marshal’s office suspects that fire was arson, but a cause has not been determined. It caused an estimated $2 million in damage and closed the plant for 17 weeks. Determination of the cause of Monday’s blaze at the plant on the city’s northwest side “sheds some light on what must have happened” in the fire two years ago, Bellamy said. “It leads me to believe more than ever that the first fire was arson.” He said both fires started in the same general area, but that no one was identified as present when the first blaze began. Steven Southard, the state fire marshal’s office investigator on the 2001 fire, said arson was suspected because the fire started in a building made with noncombustible material, no combustible material was near the origin of the fire, the building was secured, and no one was known to be inside. Bowdre said it was an eerie coincidence that Monday’s fire took place in the same area of the plant a little more than two years after the first. Monica Torline and John Jarvis are reporters for The Marion Star.
Fire causes $50,000 damage
Friday, 25 July 2003 By Luke Eygenraam
Red-hot flames from a dangerous shed fire destroyed an estimated $50,000 dollars’ worth of vintage car accessories yesterday afternoon. Smoke billowed from the shed at the rear of a Wood Terrace home and persistent rain did not stop the intense blaze from quickly enveloping the entire building. Metropolitan Fire Service area manager Wayne Haynes said a spark from a MIG welding machine had ignited combustible material stored in the shed. Paints, thinners and other flammable liquids fuelled the fire, causing extremely high temperatures and constant plumes of smoke. The shed owner, Mr Douglas Baynes, had gone inside his home and was unaware of the commotion rapidly building in the lane way behind his property. Fire service crews arrived shortly after 5pm and donned breathing apparatus to begin combating the inferno with high-pressure water lines. Circular saws were used to access the interior of the shed, and two fire fighters suffered minor burns during the 40-minute battle. An adjacent shed, the vintage car it contained and a large bird collection, were saved from extensive fire damage. A small grass fire was ignited in a neighbouring property, but was quickly extinguished. Four appliances attended the scene. Mr Baynes had an extensive collection of irreplaceable vintage car parts stored in the shed, which he used for vehicle restorations. The body of the vehicle he had been working on was completely destroyed by the smoke and flames. Fire cause investigators from Adelaide inspected the scene at 10pm last night and confirmed the blaze had been an accident.
Gas explosion injures three in Brentwood
By Lara Bricker
BRENTWOOD – Three people were injured, one seriously, in a bizarre gas explosion at a condominium development Wednesday morning. Fire officials are still investigating what led to the explosion at the Windsor Meadows condominiums on North Road at 9:30 a.m., Brentwood Deputy Fire Chief Joe Bird said. The fire department received the 911 call from a third party after the fact as the three injured men drove themselves to the hospital. Their names were not available as the fire department did not transport them, but it is believed the most seriously injured man was transported to a Boston hospital, he said. Two of the men were from Tri-State Sprinkler and one was a plumber. They had gone into a utility building on the property to repair some sprinkler pipes using a soldering torch, Bird explained. The building has a small opening in the floor, which leads to a small basement area that is about 6 feet by 8 feet in size. One man was in the basement with the torch, while another looked on through the opening in the floor and the other stood by, Bird said. “He lit the torch and when he lit the torch it caused a flash explosion,” Bird said, adding the man looking down into the hole was seriously injured. “He caught the full blast.” The three managed to get into a van and head to the hospital. “They were very lucky,” Bird said, adding the injuries could have been much worse. The fire department, with the help of the fire marshal’s office, spent all day Wednesday trying to determine what kind of gas had caused the explosion. Air samples from the area have been sent out for testing. “We’re not sure exactly what it was yet,” Bird said. In the meantime, the utility building has been blocked off so that no one can enter.
Worker injured in oil platform fire; Welder’s spark is blamed for blaze
Saturday July 26, 2003 From staff reports
A worker suffered minor injuries Friday in an oil platform fire in Lake Pontchartrain two miles north of Kenner, the Coast Guard said. Three men were welding on a Clovelly Oil Co. platform near the St. Charles Parish line about 5:30 p.m. when a spark went into a vent leading to a fiberglass tank containing water and gas, Coast Guard spokesman Jonathan McCool said. The gas ignited, and the workers spent about 45 minutes putting out the fire, McCool said. One of the workers was burned, the Coast Guard said. No other information about his injuries or the other men were available. The owner of the platform notified the Coast Guard, which sent a boat and a helicopter to the scene. McCool said the Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Office monitored for oil spills, but detected only a sheen from less than a gallon of diesel fuel from firefighting equipment.
Crews stop fire near dry bosque
By Iliana Limon Tribune Reporter
A few welders working near the city’s parched bosque learned that sometimes it’s best to not mend fences. The crew working on damaged property Wednesday afternoon produced an errant welding spark that started a small brush fire northeast of Coors Boulevard and Montano Road, fire officials said. At 3:13 p.m., the welders reported that they couldn’t stop the flames with a fire extinguisher. Five minutes later, crews already patrolling the bosque poured water on the fire, Albuquerque Fire Department Capt. Gil Santistevan said. “We were lucky that it happened this week instead of a week ago when it was so dry,” Santistevan said as light drops of rain began to fall. “We’re fortunate the humidity is high and the weather is really working in our favor. This could have easily been another disaster, but we were able to contain it to half an acre.” The department is not releasing the name of the welding company until fire officials have a chance to talk with the owner, Fire Chief Robert Ortega said. The chief was at the scene within minutes. Two blazes in late June, one sparked by firecrackers and one by a campfire, tore through the banks of the river, threatening homes and heavily taxing the fire department. “We just haven’t had enough rain here to justify this kind of welding and construction work around the bosque,” Ortega said. “This may be a time where we need to politely ask the private sector to back away from construction like this near brush that could easily start a fire. “Yes, it’s an inconvenience, but I think we learned the hard way from the last round of fires that it isn’t worth sacrificing the heart of the city.” One house under construction burned and stretches of vegetation in the bosque were heavily damaged during the fires. This time, police officers and National Guardsmen posted along the river responded quickly, closing Monta§o Road between Fourth Street and Coors Boulevard for crews. Winds briefly drove the fire close to town houses near Monta§o Road, and several residents voluntarily evacuated, Santistevan said. The fire was quickly contained by 25 Albuquerque firefighters and seven firefighters from Red Rock, Ariz., doing a rotation on the western regional fire task force, Ortega said. “We’re getting good at putting these out, and I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing,” Ortega said, shaking his head. Arson investigators were analyzing the half-acre fire Wednesday evening to confirm the cause and determine if the welders had a permit to work in the area.
Small Fire in Civic Center
KFYR TV
Bismarck firefighters spent the afternoon handling a small fire..in a *big* building. There was a flareup in the Bismarck Civic Center arena just before 1:00 this afternoon. A crew was doing some welding… and sparks ignited some blankets that were covering the seats. About five rows of seats were damaged. But the battalion chief says that’s not the worst of the damage. Kurt Leben/Battalion Chief: Put out quite a bit of smoke so it also activated the sprinkler system so we’re probably going to have a little more with water and smoke damage than with actual fire damage. No one was hurt in the fire.
UPDATE Agencies continue plant fire probe; Investigation report may take weeks
By JONATHAN SEGAL montereyherald.com
Officials from at least four government agencies are continuing their investigation of a spectacular fire two weeks ago at Duke Energy’s Moss Landing power plant. On July 8, a worker’s cutting torch ignited 1.2 million gallons of oil sitting in a tank behind the Moss Landing power station. More than 100 firefighters worked for 24 hours to extinguish the blaze. The worker was demolishing the tank for Earth Tech, a subcontractor working for Duke Energy. The techniques being used on the job appear to violate safety procedures agreed upon by Duke and Monterey County. Michael Roberson, fire marshal for the North Monterey County Fire District, said the examination of the fire’s causes and the determination of who is at fault for starting it will “be a long, drawn-out investigation.” He said a written report about the cause of the fire will probably be released by early August, but determining responsibility and adding up the cost of fighting the fire would take a lot longer. “It’s going to be an enormous suppression cost,” he said. Roberson is working with several agencies, including the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, the county health department’s environmental division and the Monterey Bay Air Pollution Control District. “We’re all working together in the unified investigation,” said Roberson. “It is just a very, very complicated event.” Bruce Weldon, a specialist for the health department, said he is examining how workers were handling hazardous materials at the site and whether the fire resulted in any contamination. He said the department is testing soil and water, and interviewing workers. “We’re looking into violations of local, state and federal laws that have to do with the handling of hazardous materials, hazardous waste and impacts to public safety, health and environment,” said Weldon. When the agencies reach their conclusions, they will submit their reports to the District Attorney’s Office for possible legal action. Matt Bogoshian, an assistant district attorney, said both Duke and Earth Tech could be penalized. While public agencies continue their investigations, Duke is performing its own inquiry, said Pat Mullen, the company’s spokesman. “It’s still progressing,” he said. “Until we’ve completed it, we won’t have any details.” Mullen said he did not know if the study would be made public or when it would be completed.
Fire destroys muffler shop
Memphis firefighters had to fight the heat outside and the flames inside a Mid-South business. A welder sparked the fire that damaged Parkway Muffler and Brakes on South Parkway. The building was well-involved when firefighters arrived. Chief Ron Mitchell, Memphis Fire Department said, “They were in the process of doing some welding on one of the automobiles over here and they had a leak in the gas line that throwed a spark and started the fire.” No one was hurt in the fire. But in this weather, firefighters work in shorter shifts and take more breaks.
Welder Sparks Blamed For Hay Barn Blaze
Sparks from a nearby welder were blamed for a fire that destroyed a barn and more than 150 bales of hay at the Jon Fuller property on Fountain Road near the Scotland/Schuyler County line Monday, July 14. The Scotland County Fire Department was dispatched to the scene just after 6:00 p.m. but arrived on the scene to find the barn and its contents fully engulfed in flames. The barn was completely destroyed while the hay bales were unsalvageable and continued to burn well into the next day. The county fire department was joined by the fire department from Downing. The firemen worked to preserve a pair of adjacent grain bins by cooling the metal buildings. Both fire departments remained on the scene until near midnight to insure the fire did not spread to a pair of nearby hayfields or any other adjoining buildings or structures.
Blaze at Bayside co-op; Plumbing repair work linked to 3-alarm fire
By WARREN WOODBERRY Jr. DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
A stubborn three-alarm fire in Bayside yesterday may have been touched off by workers using a propane torch to do plumbing repairs, a fire official said. Fire Chief Patrick McNally said the blaze started at 1:36 p.m. yesterday in the basement of 217-24 73rd Ave. in the Windsor Oaks Apartments complex. Tenants were safely evacuated. Six firefighters suffered minor injuries and were treated at area hospitals. It took about 138 firefighters to bring the fire under control at 4:05 p.m. Four apartments in the two-story brick building were affected. One apartment on each floor sustained the most damage, McNally said. McNally said the fire spread from the basement, where the plumbers had been working, and then up to the second floor through the building’s wooden floorboards. Fire marshals are investigating the cause of the blaze. Celeste Dippel, 46, said firefighters allowed her to rescue her parakeet, JoJo, from her second-floor apartment after she received a phone call at work that the building was on fire. “We had our life in there,” said Dippel, who has lived in the complex for 15 years and has brought up her daughter, Julia, 9, there. Dippel said she and tenants in her building had been without hot water for some time, and that Tuesday, contractors had been working on the building’s boiler. “They had been fixing it for the past couple of days,” said Dippel, a former co-op board member. Displaced tenants were provided shelter at area hotels through the Red Cross. Dippel said she would stay with friends. “Accidents happen. What can you do? It didn’t mean to happen,” Dippel said. Windsor Oaks Apartments, a co-op community with some rental apartments, has 900 units on 37 acres of land.