I have never been this worried at a fire in my life. I thought that tank was going to explode. We were dropping hose, and raising the arieal ladder and the fire was burning at the valves for about 10 minutes before any water was put on it. Welds on the valve broke. The tank was filled with 9,000,000 gallons of crude oil.
INGLESIDE — Firefighters late Tuesday battled a fire at a tank farm near Ingleside, spraying down a fuel-filled tank 70 to 80 feet high as flames shot about half the height of the tanks.
Firefighters began fighting the fire about 9 p.m. at the tank farm owned by Flint Hills Resources, authorities said. Firefighters from several area departments responded including those from the Refinery Terminal Fire Company in Corpus Christi, which brought some of its largest equipment to battle the blaze, said Ingleside Volunteer Fire Department Lt. Gillian Cox.
Authorities said late Tuesday that they didn’t know the source of the fire but didn’t think it was a grass fire.
Rudy Ortega, who works across from the tank farm on Farm-to-Market Road 1069, said he didn’t hear any explosions, just the fire alarms.
“And then I heard the sirens,” he said. “The firefighters were here really quickly.”
Additional responders were headed to the scene about 10:45 p.m.
Authorities said at 11:35 p.m. the fire was under control, but large flames continued to be visible as firefighters sprayed foam and water on the tank. At least five tanks were visible.
The fire continued to burn early today.
Cox said crews from Flint Hills also were on scene removing fuel.
Firefighters battle fuel tank fire near Ingleside : Corpus Christi Local | Caller-Times |
Ingleside tank farm fire
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