12/13/2010
Firefighters powerless as fire destroys Pa. biodiesel plantFire fighting delayed until Department of Environmental Protection advised what to do about the potentially hazardous runoffBy Alison Miller
The Evening Sun
HANOVER, Pa. — Firefighters were forced to stand by and watch a three-alarm blaze at the Soy Energy warehouse in Tyrone Township as they waited for the state Department of Environmental Protection to advise them what to do about the potentially hazardous runoff.
The fire, at 2259 Oxford Road, was reported at around 2 p.m. Saturday and firefighters began battling the blaze in the back corner of the warehouse. United Hook & Ladder Fire Co. No. 33 Chief Steve Rabine said
the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency told them to call off fire-fighting efforts around 4 p.m. until DEP arrived. The concern was over the biodiesel that Soy Energy makes, and whether or not runoff into the nearby Conewago Creek could be dangerous.So firefighters from 16 companies across Adams County and few from York County sat by as the blaze lit the biodiesel on fire and continued to spread throughout the building.
Throughout the afternoon and well into the night, small explosions kept occurring. Biodiesel, which is mostly composed of soybean oil, in addition to methylene and sodium methylate is flammable, but not believed to be toxic despite some of the chemicals in it. Many firefighters said they were frustrated that they could no longer combat the flame — the job that they
are trained to do. "It's agitating," said Heidelberg firefighter Kevin Crook. "It's such a shame." Biglerville Fire Lt. Dennis Freed, too, was discouraged. Freed rushed from a holiday charity event where he was dressed as Santa to help battle the blaze. He remained in his bright red and white Santa suit mingling with the others as they waited. "Some days it's frustrating," he said. But added that sometimes you just have to do what you're told.
Under the DEP's advice, firefighters worked with an Adams County haz-mat team using sandbags to contain the chemicals from flowing into Conewago Creek, said Steve Heidecker, the public information officer for Adams County Office of Emergency Services. Once that was taken care of, firefighters resumed battling the fire. Toward the end of the night, they
started using an excavator to break apart the wreckage to avoid any other parts from flaring up, Heidecker said.
But at around 8 p.m., the dam blocking the water flow broke, and some firefighters had to assist in rebuilding it, Rabine said.
Firefighters were expected to be fighting the blaze until 2 a.m. today.
No one was inside the warehouse at the time of the fire, and no firefighters were injured, Heidecker said. But the York-Adams Chapter American Red Cross did provide housing assistance to the homeowners living next door to the warehouse.
Heidecker said he did not know if the owners of the Soy Energy warehouse have insurance. A fire marshal was expected to conduct a "cause and origin investigation" when the fire was out, possibly this morning, Heidecker said.
It was unclear Saturday night if anyone would be looking into the biodiesel spill and its potential effects. But Heidecker said no harmful vapors were released into the air. Sherri Haines, the EMA for Tyrone Township, said she believed the chemicals released in the water is "not an impertinent issue" and that it will likely dilute in the water. Heidecker said it was too early to tell how much of the chemicals were released into the water.
http://www.firerescue1.com/print.asp?act=print&vid=920672Nederland is niet het enige land waar er discussie is over wel of niet blussen i.v.m. mogelijke milieuschade. Hierboven een recent dilemma in de VS, waarbij in opdracht van de milieudienst het blussen werd gestaakt om te voorkomen dat een kreek vervuild zou raken.
Al eerder is geconstateerd dat bij brandbestrijding milieuschade nog teveel een ondergeschoven kindje is, waar vaak pas na afloop van de bluswerkzaamheden echt aandacht voor is. Met soms als gevolg een enorme claim van de waterbeheerder bij de brandweer. Voorbeelden hiervan zijn cacaobranden in Amsterdam en Zaanstreek.
Niet de eigenaar van het pand maar de brandweer kreeg daarbij de claim! Enige analogie met Moerdijk kun je niet ontkennen.... 