2 ALARM BUILDING FIRE, TREDYFFRIN TWSP Chester County PA
TREDYFFRIN -- More than half a dozen fire companies responded Friday afternoon to a two-alarm blaze that seriously damaged a Devon engineering facility.
The fire has been ruled accidental, and was caused by a hydrogen leak in a tank at the facility, Fire Marshal Harrison Holt said.
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The Daily Local News : Serving Chester County
By Berwyn Fire Company June 18, 2010 Time: 11:21 hours
Box: 0279
Location: 6 Berkeley Rd. (Environex, Inc.)
Township: Tredyffrin
Explosion Ignites 2 Alarm Blaze in Tredyffrin Twp.
DEVON, PA - On Friday, June 18th at 11:21 a.m. the Berwyn Fire Company, Radnor Fire Company, and Paoli Fire Company were dispatched to 6 Berkeley Rd. (Enivronex, Inc.) in the Devon section of Tredyffrin Township for a building fire. The initial 9-1-1 caller indicated there was a small gas explosion inside their business, but was unsure of the extent of the fire.
Initial fire crews from Berwyn Engine 2-2 and Radnor Ladder 15 arrived at 11:27 a.m. to find a large two-story commercial structure with smoke showing. With no occupants outside the building to confirm everyone was able to exit the building safely, a rapid search was conducted to locate any trapped victims. At the same time water hoselines were being advanced into the structure to extinguish the fire before it could spread.
Based on intense fire conditions encountered by crews a 2nd alarm was dispatched at 11:38 a.m. with fire now consuming the ceiling of the 1st floor. The Chester County Haz-Mat Team was also dispatched due to reports of hydrogen gas and other chemicals being stored in the facility. Berwyn Assistant Chief Justin Brundage arrived soon after and established an Incident Command Post.
Firefighting crews from Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties eventually brought the stubborn blaze under control just before 2 p.m. At the height of the blaze, over 70 volunteer personnel were operating at the scene.
The Chester County Fire Marshal's Office investigated the cause of the fire. It was determined to be accidental in nature having been caused by a hydrogen tank leak at the facility's laboratory. According to the Chester County Fire Marshal's Office, damage is estimated at $325,000.
There were two reported firefighter injuries that were heat related. Both were treated on scene by medical personnel and did not require transport to a hospital. A civilian who worked at the facility suffered a chemical burn to the hand and was transported to a local hospital. Final units cleared the fire scene just after 4:00 p.m.
The fire was extremely dangerous due to the number of chemicals being used in the business. Initial crews encountered high heat conditions as they searched for the fire in zero visibility conditions. The fire was allowed to spread without notice due to the fact that hydrogen gas cannot be seen by the naked eye. This was further complicated by void spaces that allowed the fire to spread quickly over the heads of fire crews. Once the gas fed fire made contact with the various combustible materials in the building it then became visible. This also explained why the initial 9-1-1 caller reported that they were unsure if the fire was still burning.
The following additional companies assisted at the fire scene: Malvern Fire Company, King of Prussia Volunteer Fire Company, Newtown Square Fire Company, Gladwyne Fire Company, Lionville Fire Company, Narberth Ambulance, and the Haverford Twp. Paramedic Unit.
Crews from the East Whiteland Volunteer Fire Association and Phoenixville Fire Department (EMS) stood by in Berwyn's firehouse during the incident.
For additional information contact Brendan Brazunas, Assistant Chief, at the fire station at 610-644-6050 ext. 11.
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