GASOLINE SPILL 4000 GALLONS ON THE GROUND
FIRE REPORTS
After vandals opened the valve on a storage tank, the fire chief was asked to take a look. He didn’t expect to find a major incident. . .
Chief Gerald Summe of the Akron, N.Y., Volunteer Fire Department received a telephone call from the state police requesting him to check on a gasoline spill at the Akron Oil Corporation located at the corner of Morgan and Railroad Sts.
Summe arrived on the scene at 7:14 a. m. November 6, 1981, and found approximately 4000 gallons of unleaded gasoline on the ground. He immediately requested his department to respond to the scene.
Engine 3, a 1000-gpm pumper carrying 30 gallons of 3 percent foam concentrate, was positioned within 200 feet of the spill. Engine 1, a 750-gpm pumper, laid a 3-inch and a 2 1/2 -inch supply line from Engine 3 to a hydrant on Cedar St. 660 feet away and hooked on to the hydrant. Engine 4-1, a light rescue pumper, also responded carrying 50 gallons of 3 percent foam concentrate. At 7:17, Rescue 7 and three assistant chiefs from Akron arrived; by 7:25, 25 Akron fire fighters were on the scene.
Foam lines advanced
Fire fighters wearing full protective clothing and SCBA advanced two 1 ½-inch foam lines into the spill area from Engine 3 and started to blanket the entire spill area. These men were covered with two additional 1 ½-inch lines. Engine 2, a 1000-gpm pumper/tanker carrying 2500 gallons of water, was positioned on Morgan St., and Ambulance 8 went to Cedar and Eckerson Ave. at 7:56. During the next hour, 80 gallons of foam concentrate were applied.
Plant maintenance personnel arrived at 7:26 and determined how to stop the flow of gasoline. Vandals had broken in, cut the chains and opened the valves on a 27foot-high, 16,000-gallon vertical storage tank. The valves on the storage tank were closed and cleanup operations were started by the maintenance personnel.
Summe requested mutual aid from the Newstead Volunteer Fire Department to stand by at Akron’s fire station. They responded with two 1000-gpm pumpers, a rescue unit and two ambulances. He also requested the Harris Hill Volunteer Fire Company and the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (which operates the Greater Buffalo International Airport), to bring extra foam to the scene for back-up. The Akron Municipal Electric Company and the Niagara Mohawk Electric Corporation were requested to turn off their transmission lines that were located over the spill area. A New York State Department of Transportation flammable spill expert, the Erie County Environmental Department and the Erie County Arson Task Force also responded. Harris Hill arrived at 8: i I with 65 gallons of foam concentrate.
The gasoline ignites
At 8:49 a static spark from a vacuum pump being used by Akron Oil personnel ignited the gasoline.
The fire spread slowly due to the foam blanket, but the entire area was fully involved within 15 to 20 seconds. All fire fighters and maintenance personnel made it to safety. The fire could not be fought with water on foam because the additional liquid could overflow the gasoline into neighboring back yards and sewers. In addition, available water supplies were thought to be inadequate for the fire load.
Fire fighters withdrew to a 1500-foot perimeter and started evacuation of a five-block area. Summe requested mutual aid from numerous volunteer departments. Clarence responded to the scene with a 750 and 1500-gpm pumper with crews. These units were positioned on Bloomingdale Rd. Clarence Center responded with a 1000-gpm pumper and set up on Eckerson Ave. Harris Hill sent a 1000-gpm pumper and a 75-foot platform. Another KXXTgpm pumper, a KXMoot ladder truck and an ambulance responded from the Main-Transit Fire Department. Additional ambulances responded from Swormville, Getzville, Williamsville, Bowmansville and North Bailey. A total of 230 fire fighters fought the fire.
The Ashland Oil Corporation was asked for an oil fire advisor, and many other emergency personnel from non-fire agencies participated.
Evacuation
In addition to the residents, employees at three other plants nearby were also evacuated. Fire fighters were sent to the Akron Central School to stand by with the students to keep them in the school and away from the fire scene. An evacuation center was set up at St. Teresa’s School and also at the Akron fire station.
Summe set up a command post at the fire station. The immediate past chief, Richard Litfin, was assigned to the local news media helicopter to direct fire fighting operations from the air in case one of the tanks actually exploded. Assistant Chief Brian Murray was in charge of the immediate fireground Assistant Chiefs Dale Perry and Steve Carlo were assigned to the east and west sides of the fire. All medical services were assigned to state EMS representative David Krieman and county EMS coordinator Michael Walters. The fire burned out of control until 2:00 p.m., when it had consumed most of the fuel. Fire fighters stood by at the 1500-toot perimeter in case of a BLEVE. At 3:00 p.m., the 3000-gpm crash fire pumper from the Buffalo International Airport began an attack. This unit applied foam to the stillburning tanks, further bringing the fire under control. This operation was not a complete success because the tanks were supported by railroad ties which continued to burn and reignite the flammable liquids.
In midafternoon a pipeline from a 16,000-gallon heating oil tank ruptured in the area of the loading dock. The spill ignited and flowed under a horizontal tank holding 1200 gallons of ethylene glycol (antifreeze). The pressure relief valves operated properly on the tank and this portion of the fire had burned itself out by 4:00 p.m.
Fire allowed to burn out
Chief Summe decided at 5:00 p.m. not to extinguish the remaining fire. Crews remained at the scene because of the BLEVE possibility, and the immediate residential area remained evacuated.
One kerosine tank and one gasoline tank continued to burn at 7:30 p.m. The main concern at this time was the gasoline tank because it was impossible to determine the amount of gasoline in it. Fire fighters remained on standby throughout the night. By 8:00 p.m. evacuation was relaxed outside a two-square-block area. All fire and rescue units were released with the exception of Akron, Newstead and Clarence.
On Saturday morning Summe and other officials under the guidance of the Ashland Oil fire consultant made an assessment of the fire scene and determined how to extinguish the fire. Two tanks were still burning at seam splits caused by tank failure. Water was pumped into the main piping system of the storage system. The water replaced the fuel and the fire in these tanks was extinguished. It was impossible to get water into another tank which contained about 2500 gallons of gasoline. This tank was also burning at seam splits, so sand was piled up around the side of the tank until it smothered the fire. A few other small spot fires were also extinguished. Remaining evacuees were allowed to return to their homes by 10:00 a. m. Saturday.
Akron fire fighters remained on the scene while cleanup crews pumped out the tanks and soaked up the oil that was on the ground.
