The charred remains of a CSX maintenance truck are seen after a
propane tank ignited a fire as crews worked off Circle Drive in Dacula
on Tuesday. The 100-pound tank had a malfunction along the release valve
that caused the leak. (Staff Photo: David Welker)
A fire was ignited on a 100-pound propane tank on a
CSX maintenance truck as crews worked on railroad tracks off Highway 29
in Dacula, GA.
A CSX maintenance truck carrying a 100-pound propane tank caught fire
Tuesday morning on a set of railroad tracks in Dacula.
Capt.
Tommy Rutledge of the Gwinnett County fire department said crews were
dispatched just after 10 a.m. to the tracks off Winder Highway, near
Waffle House. Roads closed as the Gwinnett Fire Hazardous Materials
Response Team worked to contain the volatile gas, a task completed
without injuries.
“It
appears that the fire was sparked by a hydraulic motor mounted next to
the tank on the truck,” Rutledge said. “The fire damaged the valve to
the propane tank and allowed gas to escape and quickly ignite.
But
that the vapors burned helped firefighters. It allowed them to focus
hoses on the tank to keep it cool and minimize the risk of a greater
blaze.
The most tense moment was when a “slight amount” of propane gas escaped the tank and didn’t ignite, the spokesman said.
“The gas is heavy and hugs the ground until it dissipates or finds an ignition source,” Rutledge said.
The
spot where the fire burned was on the edge of a shady neighborhood
along Circle Road. The tracks also butt against an aging mechanic shop
with a barking dog guarding the door.
Trains
began to move again around 12:30 p.m., shortly after workers removed
the truck from the tracks. Rutledge said the blaze was under control
after noon and was contained to the back of the truck.
Source: http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com