At about 8am, Thursday, June 1, 2006, Prince George's County Firefighters and Paramedics were in the cleanup and investigation phase of a fire at a high school.
Fire/EMS units saw a large column of thick black smoke rising above the tree line a short distance away. Several units were able to clear the scene and respond to the intersection of Kenilworth Avenue and Eastern Ave to investigate the smoke.
Major Denton Rourke was the first to arrive and discovered a two-vehicle collision had occurred, an 8300-gallon tanker truck was involved and that the cab of the tanker truck was well involved with fire.
The fire was directly impinging upon the tanker portion of the truck, carrying a full load of diesel fuel, and firefighters feared the possibility that the fuel contents of the tanker could become involved as well.
District of Columbia Firefighters approached the tanker with charged hoselines from the street level and Prince George's County Firefighters positioned themselves on the elevated roadway above the crash site with charged hoselines.
In a coordinated attack, firefighters started to knock down the fire that involved the cab of the truck. This aggressive and brave attack prevented the fire from extending into the diesel tanker.
Firefighters were successful in bringing the fire under control and the integrity of the tanker portion remained intact and not involved.
The drivers of the vehicles were evaluated by paramedics and did not require transportation to a hospital.
The District of Columbia Fire Department remains on the scene for accident clean up.
