On The Job: Indiana

On Sunday, Dec. 14, 2008, a multiple-alarm fire destroyed an oil distributor's warehouse near Zionsville IN. The one-story, 140-by-50-foot, metal-framed structure was built in the 1960s and was used for bulk storage of gasoline, diesel fuel and motor oil. There were no fire detection or protection systems in the building. The distribution facility consisted of nine buildings, five outside storage tanks and two vehicle-refueling stations.

Boone County 911 dispatched the Zionsville Fire Department to a "fully involved" warehouse fire at the Taylor Oil Co. at 10702 Zionsville Road at 12:29 P.M. Engine 92, a 1,250-gpm pumper; Paramedic Squad 91; and Medic 91, a basic life support (BLS) ambulance responded with seven firefighters under the command of Lieutenant David Kael. Zionsville Ladder 91, a 95-foot aerial platform with a 2,000-gpm pump, responded with four firefighters.

Upon leaving Station 1, Kael requested mutual aid due to the location of the fire being in a non-hydrated area. Responding were Worth Fire Department Tanker 72, a 3,000-gallon tanker with a 500-gpm pump; Carmel Fire Department Engine 42, a 1,500-gpm pumper with a 75-foot aerial ladder; and Pike Township Fire Department Engine 113, a 1,500-gpm pumper. Zionsville Fire Chief James VanGorder and Deputy Fire Chief Brian Miller responded from home. While enroute, VanGorder saw large amounts of black smoke in downtown Zionsville and immediately asked the dispatch center to notify the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Boone County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and Boone County Health Department.

With smoke showing in the distance, Engine 92 confirmed a working structure fire. Engine 92 laid its entire 1,200 feet of five-inch supply line from a hydrant at SR 334 and Zionsville Road (downtown Zionsville) and advised that it would need the next-arriving apparatus to continue the hose lay. Engine 92 also asked Zionsville police to close Zionsville Road from SR 334 to 116th Street due to the supply hose deployment. Medic 91 and Squad 91 arrived on scene prior to Engine 92 and advised a working warehouse fire. Heavy smoke and fire were coming from the east end of the structure and about half of the building was fully involved. Engine 92 was positioned southwest and upwind of the structure and established command. At the time of the initial alarm, high winds were coming from the south, blowing north into downtown Zionsville.

VanGorder arrived on scene and assumed command. He asked dispatch to contact the power company and have all electrical power to the facility shut down. He also requested that the Marion County (Indianapolis Fire Department) and Hamilton County hazmat teams respond to the scene with foam. Miller was assigned as operations sector officer. Zionsville Engine 91, a 1,500-gpm pumper, responded with four firefighters. Command requested that the Zionsville Street Department be contacted for a backhoe and operator as well as two additional contractors to respond with dirt excavation equipment and operators.

Ladder 91 arrived next and laid its entire 1,000 feet of five-inch supply line to just north of the entrance to the facility and was staged. Carmel Engine 42 arrived and laid another 300 feet of five-inch supply line into the complex. Firefighters then hand-laid another 400 feet of five-inch supply line from Carmel Engine 42 to Zionsville Engine 92 to establish a water supply. In total, the supply line was 2,600 feet long from the hydrant to Engine 92. Engine 91 arrived and was assigned to pump the hydrant at Zionsville Road and SR 334 and supply Engine 42 which operated as a relay pumper which then fed Engine 92, the attack pumper.

Initial Attack

The initial attack consisted of Engine 92 deploying two 1¾-inch lines and a 2½-inch line with a RAM nozzle. Attack crews reported burning flammable liquid streaming from the building and flowing downhill toward three adjoining structures. These structures were also constructed of wood framing and metal siding. All of the buildings contained multiple large indoor petroleum-based product storage tanks and delivery vehicles.

Engine 92 was equipped with 10 gallons of AFFF AR foam and switched one handline to foam operations. The crew used the foam and dry chemical extinguishers to contain and prevent fire spread toward the adjoining buildings as well as digging containment dikes to prevent overland fire spread of the burning flammable liquid. Attack crews were notified by command to only use enough water to protect the adjoining exposures. Extinguishment of the building involved was not attempted at this time due to lack of water supply and danger of hazardous runoff.

Several large explosions were observed during this period with debris falling from the sky. Most of the explosions appeared to involve 55-gallon drums and venting propane tanks. Crews were notified by operations to operate from safe distance. The building owner arrived at the command post and supplied building information to command, indicating that the building contained 6,000 to 8,000 gallons of petroleum products of various types. Most if not all of the product was in storage positions within a containment system. The containment system appeared to be holding the burning product and preventing it from spreading to the nearby larger warehouse that held significantly larger quantities of flammable liquids. The fire building also contained a tractor-tractor, an empty tank trailer, a backhoe and a fork lift.

Boone County EMA officials and health department workers were assigned to monitor the air quality in downtown Zionsville as wind was blowing to the north-northeast. The power company arrived and cut service to the entire facility. The first backhoe arrived within 45 minutes of the initial alarm and was assigned to the operations sector. Command assigned the operations sector two tasks â?? contain the fire using as little water as possible due to downhill water pollution potential and oversee dike and containment operations. Operations assigned Pike Township Fire Department Battalion Chief Darrel Gorden as Containment Sector Officer and to oversee all digging operations.

Two additional backhoes and operators arrived and were assigned to the containment sector. Two containment ditches and were dug at the west end of the un-involved buildings. With a pre-existing containment pond west of the facility where all runoff was projected to collect, a containment hole approximately 20 by 40 feet and 10 feet deep was dug. This containment hole was dug within the existing emergency containment basin for the facility and took 45 minutes to complete. The existing containment basin was next to Little Eagle Creek, which supplies Eagle Creek Reservoir and provides drinking water to the City of Indianapolis.

Foam Attack

Hazmat teams staged approximately 150 gallons of foam at attack Engine 92. Once command was advised that the containment dikes and pools were constructed, the operations sector was directed to begin extinguishment operations. Three 200-foot 1¾-inch foam lines were placed into operation from Engine 92. Two foam lines worked together from the upwind direction to attack the main body of fire, which was contained in a large indoor flammable liquid storage tank at the west end of the building. The third foam line was in place as a backup line and used to extinguish small spot fires in the east side of the building.

A large excavator was brought in to assist with containment operations and debris removal. The property owner was advised to contact a spill cleanup contractor to pump up the collected run off. The fire was contained and controlled by firefighters using the three foam lines. All runoff was routed through containment ditches and dikes to the large containment pond. The spill contractor arrived with vacuum trucks to collect the contaminated runoff water. Attack crews continued to extinguish hot spots and cool debris until it was determined that it was safe to bring in the large excavator to remove debris. This let firefighters extinguish the remaining hot spots.

Fire Under Control

VanGorder declared the fire under control at 4 P.M. and mutual aid companies were released. The supply line was broken down and the remaining mop-up operations were completed using Engine 92's booster tank water. Tankers remained in the staging area in case additional water was needed.

Zionsville Fire Department Investigator Doug Gauthier and the Boone County Fire Investigation Task Force worked with the operations sector to ensure that the fire was completely extinguished. Investigators used the large excavator to lift and remove the back hoe, fork lift and other items to aid in their investigation. All fire operations were terminated at 6:30 P.M. The site was released to the owner, Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the spill contractor for cleanup. The Zionsville Fire Department replenished all of the supplies used by the mutual aid departments within 24 hours of the incident. The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental and damage was estimated at over $750,000.

The following supplies were used by firefighters to control the incident: 27 five-gallon buckets of AFFF AR Foam; 13 five-gallon buckets of F 500 Foam; 70 absorbent pads; 10 three-inch/10-foot absorbent booms; 18 10-foot/five-inch absorbent booms; one roll of 36-inch absorbent; and one box of 12-inch absorbent pillows. Additionally, firefighter rehabilitation supplies and boot-cleaning supplies were used. Nineteen sets of bunker gear were contaminated and needed to be commercially cleaned. Seven 50-foot sections of attack line were heavily coated in petroleum products and are unusable.

Conclusion

Fire officials cite several reasons for the successful outcome of this incident:

• Pre-plans and annual facility walk-throughs made responding firefighters familiar with the facility and the types of hazards that were present.
• Planning for the potential runoff was begun before fire suppression operations were initiated. This quick action prevented the spread of the hazardous runoff and possible contamination of one of the primary water supplies for the City of Indianapolis.
• The fire department maintains a strong presence in the business community and has a strong working relationship with local contractors. This enabled the quick mobilization of construction equipment.
• The most important lesson for a fire department is to pre-plan the facilities that you may be responding to so that you are familiar with what conditions may meet you.

JAY K. BRADISH/IFPA, Firehouse® news editor, is a former captain in the Bradford Township, PA, Fire Department. He has been a volunteer firefighter and fire photographer for more than 25 years.