Snowplow fire - New Hackensack FD - 1-12-11

[Guest Photounit]

The New Hackensack Fire Department, Town of Wappinger Ambulance/TransCare Medics, and the NYSP - Wappinger were dispatched for a "reported plow truck on fire" I/A/O #1 Martin Drive. Units arrived to find a 1 ton dump body plow truck with the cab fully involved and fire impinging on a ~ 250 gallon tank of unknown contents that was in the dump body...... Crews used a single line to cool the tank and then quickly extinguish the fire w/o incident. The driver was nowhere to be found and the plates were missing too..... Apparently the driver removed the trucks plates and fled...... The NYSP are looking for both the driver and vehicles owner.....

Crews have their line flaked out and prepare to get masked up......

Ya ready?

Using the nozzles reach to cool the tank......

Hitting the running fuel fire as the neighbors watch......

Moving up on it......

Hitting the main body of fire..... The Lieutenants guide a "green" firefighter.....

Now ya got it.....

Fire knocked down........

Edited January 14, 2011 by Photounit

[27east 19]

looks like an heating oil tank in there

[Tanker 10eng 140]

so ??? do we know what was in the tank ? was it from a past job? was it back there for weight.. you never know what guys do with their trucks now a days...

[Alpinerunner 61]

Looks like a great job from NHFD and Photounit!

[helicopper 1,050]

http://www.firefight...y/newsid/126293

Given this recent incident in LA, I sure hope they were worried about the contents of that tank.

Attached is the report on the injured FD captain in LA.

LAFDBlueSheet.pdf

[Alpinerunner 61]

http://www.firefight...y/newsid/126293

Given this recent incident in LA, I sure hope they were worried about the contents of that tank.

Attached is the report on the injured FD captain in LA.

That sounds like a "standard" magnesium steering column explosion/reaction. I've seen a good number of videos of this happening. However, your point is taken that vehicle fires pose more risks than one might think.

[TCD0415 26]

Nice Pictures. Scary seeing that tank in the back of the truck.....

Question? I have often wondered the reason that New Hackensack FD has "N K F D" on their turnouts ?

[TRUCK6018 50]

Question? I have often wondered the reason that New Hackensack FD has "N K F D" on their turnouts ?

Likely not to be confused with the neighboring NHFD, New Hamburg FD.

[BFD1054 1,552]

Bill, as always, great photos! You truly have a knack for taking great action shots!

Looks like New Hack had a nice knock down. I like that they used the reach of the hose stream & didn't rush into things. As Billy said, you just never know what people have in their vehicles. Especially the fact that the driver was GOA and the plates were missing would make me real hesitant. It does look like a home heating oil tank of sorts.

TCD...glad you asked about the "NKFD" on their gear, I've wondered this for some time lol.

[Danger 160]

To make matters worse, he parked in front of the hydrant

[16fire5 693]

http://www.firefight...y/newsid/126293

Given this recent incident in LA, I sure hope they were worried about the contents of that tank.

Attached is the report on the injured FD captain in LA.

Excellent info had not seen that yet. Couple of thoughts why does LA dispatch a single engine to a car fire? I can think of dozzens of reasons to back them up with a truck or second engine. Magnesium is not uncommon in stering columms. Suprising how many attack it with the wrong approach. I witnessed a firefighter attempt to put it out with a purple K at close range. Luckly the firefighter had full PPE and SCBA and was not injured. It's best to use lots of water and use the reach of the stream from a good distance ~50' to achive good knockdown.

[JM15 386]

To make matters worse, he parked in front of the hydrant

Maybe he was trying to melt some of the snow around it?

[jack10562 414]

LAFD SOP (SOG) for car fires:

(thanks, Chris!)

Working within 30 feet of any auto fire constitutes working in an Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) environment.

There are many good reasons for this. Everyone should follow this practice!

In addition to leaving the scene, the operator should get slapped with unsafe transportation of a load, probably HazMat to boot, that 550 tank is not strapped down at all.

What a knucklehead... taking the plates off...as if the cops can't trace a VIN #?

[JTF429 37]

New Hackensack has NKFD instead of NHFD as to not be confused with New Hamburg. This goes way back to when every one had black gear, hip boots, leather helmets and those orange gloves. It is rumored that there was a card game involved and New Hackensack lost. Mabey someone else can confirm that. The tank was an old fuel tank. Unknown how much product was in it. No placards or info for it. It was not breeched or leaking so the FD did not open it. The tank was cooled 1st then the fire knocked down.

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Nice pictures. Nice stop by NKFD preventing the fire from reaching the tank and causing further damage.