LPG filling station fire

On 5/14/2010 at 1251 hrs TFR units responded to a reported liquefied propane gas filling station fire behind a business called GateGourmet, 2404 N Westshore Blvd. This business provides food to aircraft at Tampa International Airport. Their trucks run on LP gas. Employee Jorge Barbosa, age not available, was pulling a truck up to the filling station. He accidentally hit the filling station and the fire started. He backed the truck away from the filling station and alerted others to the fire. All employees exited the area safely. I do not know how many employees were affected.

When fire crews arrived the flames were over 20 feet high and threatening a nearby truck, the nearby business called GateGourmet, and an LP gas bottle that contained an estimated 700 gallons of LPG. Fire crews set up large hose streams on the building, the truck and the LPG cylinder to keep the flames off of them. When gas is leaking and burning the fire crews do not want to put out the flames, the flames are consuming all the leaking gas. The goal is to spray large amounts of water on nearby objects so they dont burst into flames.

Hazardous Materials Technicians from TFR found a shut off valve on the LP gas cylinder and shut off the gas flow. This extinguished the fire. There was minor damage to the building and the nearby truck. The filling station was destroyed. A loss estimate is not available. The situation was under control about 1345 hrs.

First arriving fire crews are credited with taking quick action to prevent the fire from engulfing the building or the nearby gas cylinder, a situation that could have been very destructive. Their prompt actions allowed the scene to be easily managed and safely brought under control.

An Investigator from the Tampa Fire Marshals Office and Tampa International Airport Police are investigating. No charges are expected.

There was no direct impact on the airport operations from the fire.

TFR responded to this 2-alarm fire with 3 aircraft rescue and firefighting trucks, 6 fire engines, 4 rescue cars, 3 ladder trucks, 1 hazmat team and a few chief officers. An estimated 48 responders were on scene from fire stations in Westshore, Hilldale, Palma Ceia, Robles Park, Downtown, West Tampa and a Hazardous Materials Team from Palmetto Beach.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• lp
• gas
• fire