Press Release
Prepared by: Chief Gregory Payson
Number of Alarms: All-Hands
Incident Commander: Chief Gregory Payson
Incident Number: 23-NY0086
Incident Date and Time: 03-14-2023 @ 19:46
Incident Location: 70 Milliken Road
Number of NYFR Engines in response: Two
Number of NYFR Tankers in response: One
Other NYFR apparatus in response: Two
Number of NYFR personnel in response: 8
First NYFR unit on scene: Engine 52
On Monday night 03-13-2023 North Yarmouth Fire Rescue crews completed our required annual hazmat operations training. Every year the department brings in Al Nygren from Training Technologies International to go over the various hazardous materials topics to keep the department ready to respond to hazmat incidents at the operations level. We had 28 of the 34 members of the department attend this training. This year’s training was Propane and Natural Gas Emergencies
On Tuesday night 03-14-2023 members put this training to use. At 19:46 North Yarmouth Engine 52 was dispatched to 70 Milliken Road for a propane tank leaking outside the residence. E-52 responded with a crew of 3 members that were manning the station at the time of call.
E-52 arrived on scene to find the homeowners waiting for crews at the end of a 600’ long driveway. Chief 501 met with the owners to get a quick overview of the incident. Homeowners are reporting a smell of propane outside the residence after a tree had come down and landed on top of their propane tanks and could smell propane in the area. Chief 501 requested dispatch to upgrade the call to a structural assignment adding North Yarmouth Tank 53, E-51, A-56, Service 54,Yarmouth Tower 84 and Pownal Tank 4. E-52 arrived on scene short of the residence with a smell of propane in the air and the sound of a large leak coming from the propane tanks. Chief 501 assumed command. E-52 company metered the area with a 4 gas meter to help ensure levels were acceptable to proceed further and deployed an 1-3/4” handline to protect the crews, the tanks, and the house from any potential sparks would could cause an ignition of the gas. With the protection of a handline companies attempted to shut the valve down to the tanks but was unable due to the damage from the tree to the shut off valve. Companies were able to isolate the leak to only one tank. Command requested the propane company to respond with a technician to assist with securing the tank. Companies hand stretched 200’ of 5” supply line to Tank-53 as they could make it up the driveway the entire distance, Tank 53 laid out an additional 300’ of 5” supply line out to Milliken Road to set up for water supply.
Command requested to upgrade to an all-hands assignment which brought New Gloucester E-2, New Gloucester Tank 2, and Cumberland Engine 101 to the scene. Gray Engine-41 was assigned to cover North Yarmouth while companies were tied up on scene. Yarmouth E-82 was requested to respond but was unable to due to being tied up with calls in their own town. New Gloucester Car-4 was assigned as the water supply officer with tank trucks needing to shuttle water from a hydrant on Walnut Hill Road to the scene. 2 additional tank trucks were requested to respond due to the weather conditions and the time needed to shuttle water from the hydrant to the scene. This request brought Freeport Tank 2 and Durham Tank 29 to the scene.
During the incident crews maintained continuous gas monitoring in the residence to ensure the house was at safe levels. Companies used approximately 8000 gallons of water to maintain safe area and levels around the tank as well as the residence. With the assistance of the propane company the incident was brought under control at 21:08. All North Yarmouth Compnaies were clear of the scene at 21:45 and back in service at 22:45.
We would like to thank all of our mutual aid partners that participated in the successful outcome of this incident. There were no injuries reported and the occupants were not displaced from the incident. We would also like to give a big thank you to North Yarmouth Public Works in keeping the roadway to and from the scene as clear as possible for the responding tank trucks.
Original source can be found here
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