SHREDDED RUBBER TIRE FIRE, NEBRASKA CITY, NEBRASKA

摘要

The nebraska city (NE) volunteer fire depart ment (VFD) was confronted with a confined space fire involving hundreds of tons of shredded rubber tires in four 28-foot X 64-foot steel silos located within 100 yards of the Missouri River. An explosion 11 hours into the fire sent 13 firefighters to the hospital. Two of the silos were leaning, making it impossible to gain access through the top of the silos. Runoff water had to be diked to prevent contamination of the river. Extinguishment of this first fire of its type required 187 hours of firefighting and the assistance of an international oil well firefighting company and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Thirty-plus area fire departments were summoned at various times to provide mutual aid to the department. The estimated cost of extinguishment was $1.5 million. The incident involved the following agencies: the Nebraska City VFD, the Nebraska City Administration, the Otoe County Administration, the Nebraska City Police Department, the Otoe County Sheriff's Department, St. Mary's Hospital, the Nebraska State Fire Marshal, the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the EPA, the U.S. Coast Guard, Williams Fire and Hazard Control, and 33 area volunteer fire departments and rescue squads.