Three Burning Oil Tanks Extinguished by Volunteers
Photo by Jay Bradish
Using water drafted from a creek by two portable pumps, the Derrick City, Pa., Volunteer Fire Department extinguished a fire involving three oil tanks.
The Bradford Police Department received a 911 emergency call last December 26 reporting an oil tank on fire at the Bells Camp Quaker State lease at Derrick City, and the Derrick City volunteers responded with four pumpers and 20 men.
The first unit on the scene, MT 114, a 1000-gpm pumper, reported a working fire at that location with three oil tanks completely involved in fire.
The second-in pumper, 500-gpm MT 112, was positioned near the creek and a portable pump was used to draft from the creek. With the water from the portable pump, MT 112 relayed to MT 114 through a 2½ -inch line. MT 113, a 750-gpm pumper, also set up a portable pump in the creek to supply MT 112. Tanker-Pumper MT 111, a 1000-gallon tanker, was positioned next to MT 114 to supply it.
MT 114 pumped two 1 ¼-inch lines equipped with foam pickup tubes and a 3-inch line. The two 1 ½-inch lines attacked the fire around the two righthand tanks while the 3-inch line was used to cool the third tank, which was partially empty.
Chief Larry Harken stated the fire was caused by heat being applied to one of the tanks to warm the oil. When the tank ruptured, the flowing oil was ignited by the fire under the tank.
Fire fighters were on the scene for 1 ½ hours and used 10 gallons of foam concentrate.
