Post by eng451 on Mar 12, 2010 8:07:47 GMT -5
Tenn. Petroleum Tank Fire Extinguished
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The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Tenn.
Posted: Fri, 03/12/2010 - 01:02
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Mar. 11--KNOXVILLE -- The Knoxville Fire Department today extinguished a fire in a large petroleum tank in the 5200 block of Middlebrook Pike.
Westbound traffic in the immediate vicinity was temporarily rerouted following the 10:10 a.m. call. The fire was under control by about 11:15, KFD Capt. D.J. Corcoran said. Traffic is now back to normal.
Corcoran said the tank at Enterprise Oil Co. is slightly larger than a tank car tank. Though its capacity is 16,000 gallons, it contained only about 3,000 gallons of recycled motor oil, he said.
Two engine companies, a ladder truck and a hazardous materials unit responded.
Firefighters contained the blaze with a foam-based retardant as well as water. There were no injuries. The fire started during a process of cleaning the oil, but the exact cause has yet to be determined. Corcoran said there was no danger of the fire spreading or of an explosion.
"Had this been gasoline instead of oil, it could have been a different story, because gasoline has such a higher flash point," he said. "But oil is not as difficult to deal with."
Corcoran said the company recycles old motor oil, and the cleaning process includes heating it up to about 170 degrees
-
The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Tenn.
Posted: Fri, 03/12/2010 - 01:02
--
Mar. 11--KNOXVILLE -- The Knoxville Fire Department today extinguished a fire in a large petroleum tank in the 5200 block of Middlebrook Pike.
Westbound traffic in the immediate vicinity was temporarily rerouted following the 10:10 a.m. call. The fire was under control by about 11:15, KFD Capt. D.J. Corcoran said. Traffic is now back to normal.
Corcoran said the tank at Enterprise Oil Co. is slightly larger than a tank car tank. Though its capacity is 16,000 gallons, it contained only about 3,000 gallons of recycled motor oil, he said.
Two engine companies, a ladder truck and a hazardous materials unit responded.
Firefighters contained the blaze with a foam-based retardant as well as water. There were no injuries. The fire started during a process of cleaning the oil, but the exact cause has yet to be determined. Corcoran said there was no danger of the fire spreading or of an explosion.
"Had this been gasoline instead of oil, it could have been a different story, because gasoline has such a higher flash point," he said. "But oil is not as difficult to deal with."
Corcoran said the company recycles old motor oil, and the cleaning process includes heating it up to about 170 degrees