Shelby County, TN, March 29, 2007
— At 6:58 A.M., the Shelby County Fire Department was dispatched to a call for a motor vehicle accident on the Austin Peay Highway at Rosemark Road in northern Shelby County. The initial dispatch included Shelby County Engine 69, Rescue 66 and Battalion 22 along with Millington Engine 337 and Battalion 23. Millington Engine 337 was the first on the scene at 07:05, followed immediately by Shelby County Engine 69 and Battalion 23.
The assessment was that additional equipment would be needed. Dispatched were Shelby County Engine 64, Decon, Air Truck, Supply for foam, 201, 200 and 217. Millington also responded with 300, 301 and the air crash truck from the Millington Airport. Shelby County also had the assistance of two off-duty firefighters to function in the command post.
The tanker truck was reported to be fully involved with a full 8,000-plus-gallon load of gasoline. Initial suppression efforts included two engine companies making an aggressive attack that did not extinguish the fire. The firefighters from Engines 69 and 337 were pulled to reposition just before the tanker exploded.
Command requested additional assistance from Memphis Haz-Mat, which immediately responded with Rescue 3, Battalion 11, Divisions 105 and 107, Administrative Chief 101, Light Water and photographer 126. In addition, the Shelby County Road Department responded with personnel and heavy earth-moving equipment for dikes and berms to control any spillage. Millington Public Works responded with sand trucks and all fuel spillage was contained.
As efforts were made to mount an attack with foam, the fire was kept contained. When safety for all involved was assured, the attack began in earnest from Shelby County Engine 64. Rescue 66 personnel, with a rapid intervention team as backup, advanced on the fire and it was extinguished in minutes.
Austin Peay Highway remained closed throughout the lunch hour while the responding agencies monitored air quality and supervised the offloading of unburned fuel. Three adjacent homes were evacuated and nine residents were taken to an area school and later went to the homes of friends and relatives. One minor injury to a Shelby County firefighter occurred when a hoseline burst, spraying foam into his eyes.
