Centennial Haz-Mat

Photo courtesy South Metro Fire Rescue

On August 13th, 2018 South Metro Fire Rescue Tower 35 and Medic 42 responded to a property damage vehicle accident at Potomac St. and Broncos Parkway. When crews arrived, they discovered a dump truck vs. sedan collision with a ruptured diesel tank and fuel leaking out. Engine 42 and the Hazardous Materials Team (Haz-Mat 38) also responded to assist. Approximately 50 gallons of diesel spilled onto the roadway and was running into a storm drain. Firefighters used absorbent and dirt to contain the spill while the Haz-Mat Team set up their fuel off-loading system. Before any fuel could be moved, the truck had to be properly grounded to prevent a static spark from causing an explosion / fire. The nearby soil was watered down, aluminum foil was covered with dirt, then connected to grounding rods and cables attached to the truck. Once the electrical ohms were measured and determined to be safe, fuel was transferred from the damaged fuel tank into another truck for transport away from the scene. No injuries occurred and Firefighters were on scene for 2 hours.

Units on Scene: Tower 35, Medic 42, Engine 42, & Haz-Mat 38