7-11-07 Coastal Plant- 4th Alarm Blaze -

On July 11, 2007 at 4:30 p.m. during a severe storm, a box was transmitted at the Coastal Eagle Point Plant for a storage tank on fire from a reported lightning strike on Route 295 in West Deptford. First arriving units found a 55,000 gallon storage tank on fire.  Witnesses stated they heard a loud explosion, which shook houses and looked over to see the tank catching fire.  Neighbors also reported several lightning strikes that struck trees in the area.  Command arrived on scene and struck a 2^nd alarm and requested multiple foam units.  A total of 3 4000 gallon foam tankers were requested from this request.  A request was also made to Valero Refinery for additional equipment.  Coastal reported that their number 1 priority was to prevent the flames from spreading to other surrounding tanks.  They reported there was 1.5 million gallons of product in the tank.  Mutual aid was requested from multiple surrounding communities.  The smoke could be seen for 10 miles northeast of the plant.  The surrounding communities were advised to stay inside with their windows shut due to the smoke travel.  Fire units operated on scene for 3 ˝ hours before the fire was declared to be knocked down.  Coastal reported the product burning was Xylene.  The product is most commonly used in gasoline, paint thinners and cleaning agents.  Due to the moisture in the atmosphere several cars and houses were affected by the burning product.  Damage only consisted on stains.  Coastal set up a hotline to report damage a short time after the incident.  Crews remained on location well into the night applying foam to the tank.No injuries were reported on the fire ground. 

2-20-07 Rt. 295- M.V.A. (Story and Photos by Bill Reiger)

COLONIAL MANOR At around 1200hrs Rescue 62 (Verga) and Engine 63 (Colonial Manor) BLS 69 (West Deptford EMS) and MICU LS1 were dispatched to Route 295 Northbound in the area of Exit 22 for a Commercial Motor Vehicle Crash with entrapment. Upon the Arrival of 6201, Chief Bilger reported to Gloucester County Fire Board he had 2 vehicle crash, One Tracker Trailer off the side of the road with no injuries and one car on its side on the jersey barrier, which would need to be secured from falling down an embankment below Route 295. Rescue 62 arrived and began the attempt to secure the vehicle, and go in-service with the spreaders for the door pop. Following the rather simple door pop, the patient care was turned over to the Squad 691 and LS-1, were the patient was transported to Cooper Hospital in Camden for the trauma evaluation.The vehicle was flatbed onto a tow truck and removed from the highway, there were no firefighter injuries reported and the companies were shortly released.On Scene were Command 6201 Chief Bilger, Engine 631 Colonial Manor, Rescue 628 Verga, BLS 691 West Deptford EMS, Life Support 1 (Underwood Hospital Mobile Intensive Care Unit), West Deptford Police and New Jersey State Police.

08-31-05 Heather Ridge Apartment Complex - Apartment Fire Multiple Alarms

First arriving units found heavy fire on the first floor that was quickly spreading. Crews established a water supply as fire was moving to the 2nd floor and quickly breaking the roof line. The evac. tones were sounded quickly in to the job as crews went in to defensive mode as the fire was through the roof. Crews used several Tower Ladders. The fire jumped the firewall and burned the neighboring unit as well. One person was transported to Underwood Memorial Hospital with ALS. The occupant was home at the time of the blaze. The cause of the fire is under investigation at this time.

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