Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Fire & Explosions at Industrial/Medical Gas Company in Dallas
Dallas Morning News Photo. Click photo for paper's coverage of the fire.11:30 a.m. EDT I am currently looking at live helicopter video of a feed in our newsroom of a fire in an industrial area near the interchange of I-30 and I-35 in Dallas. The fire is in the yard of what appears to be a welding and/or gas supply company.
Besides a large number of tanks on fire in the storage yard of Southwest Industrial Gases, Inc., a building and vehicles in the parking area are burning. Exploded canisters appear to have rocketed up onto a highway. Spot fires are appearing hundreds of feet from the main body of fire.
There is a center area burning in the yard and nearby there are scores, if not hundreds, of small scorched canister and tanks with flames showing at their vents. The area for at least a half-mile radius has been evacuated.
The fire department appears to be using a police helicopter to go up and survey the scene.
There does not appear to be active firefighting going on at the moment. Small explosions are still occurring. The fire was reported about 9:30 CDT.
Parkland Hospital's burn unit reports at least two patients have been brought to the facility with serious, if not critical, burns.
11:41 a.m. EDT The feed is now replaying some of the earlier video. In it there is a fireball surrounding a truck outside the building. There are multiple explosions as some tanks shoot straight into the air while other flaming tanks fly up onto the empty highway. Pretty dramatic.
11:45 a.m. EDT CBS11TV reports the company stores and distributes the type of gases you would expect to find at any industrial and medical supply company: argon, acetylene, oxygen, etc.
Besides a large number of tanks on fire in the storage yard of Southwest Industrial Gases, Inc., a building and vehicles in the parking area are burning. Exploded canisters appear to have rocketed up onto a highway. Spot fires are appearing hundreds of feet from the main body of fire.
There is a center area burning in the yard and nearby there are scores, if not hundreds, of small scorched canister and tanks with flames showing at their vents. The area for at least a half-mile radius has been evacuated.
The fire department appears to be using a police helicopter to go up and survey the scene.
There does not appear to be active firefighting going on at the moment. Small explosions are still occurring. The fire was reported about 9:30 CDT.
Parkland Hospital's burn unit reports at least two patients have been brought to the facility with serious, if not critical, burns.
11:41 a.m. EDT The feed is now replaying some of the earlier video. In it there is a fireball surrounding a truck outside the building. There are multiple explosions as some tanks shoot straight into the air while other flaming tanks fly up onto the empty highway. Pretty dramatic.
11:45 a.m. EDT CBS11TV reports the company stores and distributes the type of gases you would expect to find at any industrial and medical supply company: argon, acetylene, oxygen, etc.
noon EDT Explosions are still occurring, but are less frequent. Reports that a liquor store is now being threatened by the fire.
12:30 p.m. EDT Press conference with fire, police and health officials scheduled at noon CDT. A witness who works at the plant tells CBS11TV that it started as a small fire in a truck that had arrived for a pick up of product. Employees first fought the fire with extinguishers. As the fire grew, many, but not all, of the employees started running from the scene. The witness says as he looked back he saw the first tanks rocket into the air and larger explosions.
12:35 p.m. EDT What appears to be the first active firefighting, as the explosions have died down. An engine company using a deck gun is wetting down an exposure. CBS11TV reports it is the liquor store.
Here is a link to EPA information for the company.
CBS11TV has a link to watch their live coverage at the top of their home page.
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