Tanker Shuttle, Foam Quell Gasoline Truck-Train Fire
A tank truck loaded with 4800 gallons of gasoline failed to stop at a railroad grade crossing and was struck by a train near Catskill, N.Y. The explosion and fire that followed brought down overhead high tension electric transmission lines to complicate the incident.
I was one of the first on the scene, followed by Hose Company 1 of Catskill at 8:34 a.m., just four minutes after the first alarm last Sept. 12. The incident occurred at Brown’s Crossing, the intersection of New York Routes 9W and 385, in Fire Protection District 1.
Fire totally involved the tractor, semi trailer and gasoline. The vehicle had proceeded only about 500 feet from its loading dock and terminal when it was hit. A 3 to 4-foot opening was ripped into the rear corner of the tank, releasing the fuel. Some of it fell on the second engine of the train and it started burning.
The collision twisted the truck around in the road, leaving the tractor upright and the trailer on its side. Somehow the driver escaped without a scratch. In addition to the burning vehicle and downed high tension wires, we had to consider that the fire was directly over a buried natural gas pipeline.
Water supply problem
For all of this there was no water supply at or near the scene. All water had to be brought in by tankers in a relay run of almost a mile to fire hydrants in Catskill.
District Chief Herbert June arrived on the scene with the first fire apparatus. June and First Assistant Chief John Darling Jr., put their fire plan into operation. Immediately a mutual aid call on the Greene County Fire Mutual Aid Plan was made for tankers from the Leeds, West Athens-Limestreet and Kiskatom Fire Departments. The Greenport Fire Department was called under an intercounty plan from nearby Columbia County.
All responded with whatever foam they had in stock. Hose Company 1 members set up a portable water tank and placed their 750-gpm pumper at the tank for drafting. Two 1 1/2-inch foam lines were set up and a 1½-inch water line. Fire fighters immediately attacked the fire with the foam lines and positioned the water line for a protective cover for the hosemen. The Greenport pumper was placed on the east side of the fire. Its crew attacked the fire from this position, with the West AthensLimestreet tanker transporting water to them.
Employees of the Alpha Portland Cement plant who were members of Hose Company 1, including Second Assistant District Chief Robert Overbaugh, were released to report to the scene.
More foam needed
During the fire, additional mutual aid calls were made for more foam, and nearly every fire department in Greene County responded. June felt a reserve supply of foam was needed in case any problem developed with the natural gas line. Fortunately, no problem developed from this exposure. We had four large power line poles burning during the fire, and it was feared that they might burn enough to cause the 8 to 10 remaining cables to drop on the fire fighters.
The fire was extinguished at 9:15 a.m. The tanker had to be cooled before the remaining gasoline contained in the tank—only 641 gallons—could be removed.
After the fire was extinguished, the railroad pressured June for permission to let other trains run through, but he did not give permission until the wreckage was cleared and the scene was secured. The first train passed through at 1 p.m.
