TAR KETTLE FIRES: A POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHE

摘要

I recently responded to a tar kettle fire that reminded me of how dangerous such fires can be. What started out as a simple tar kettle fire ended as a second-alarm struc- tural assignment with one single-family house totally gutted, several backyard tool sheds destroyed, a rental box truck obliterated, and a fire company that barely escaped serious injury from a BLEVE (boiling-liquid/expanding-vapor explosion). These incidents must be approached with caution, and, barring any immediate life hazard, a defensive mode of operation is in order.