MEC&F Expert Engineers : 01/10/15

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Manufactured house fire in Atkins, Iowa is a total loss, leaving a family homeless

Manufactured House fire in Atkins, Iowa is a total loss, leaving a family homeless

Posted: Jan 10, 2015 8:45 PM EST Updated: Jan 10, 2015 8:45 PM EST
ATKINS (KWWL) - An eastern Iowa family of four, including two children, is now looking for a new place to stay after their house caught fire.

The Atkins Fire Department along with four other area fire departments responded to a fire at a mobile home park early Saturday morning.

Shredded siding, wrecked windows, and charred cars, are all that's left of the home, in Benton County.

"I was just coming home last night, I saw the fire coming out of the top of the back trailer," said neighbor Dakota Simpson. "Knocked on the door to see if anybody was home, nobody was answering

Scary moments for Dakota Simpson when he noticed the manufactured home at the Country Aire Trailer Courthome up in flames.

He says he continued knocking as he called 911 because he knew the family had two kids, and he was afraid for them.

Simpson says he was afraid, but now grateful the family of four was not inside.

Anne Sposato, a family friend says when the fire broke out, the family was out enjoying family time.

Firefighters from five different departments were called to put out the fire.

Saturday afternoon, more than 15 hours later the home continued to burn and crews were forced to come back to control the hot spots.

"Sure is devastating for them. Hard to see everything they've worked for all these years gone," said Sposato. "They probably have not idea where they're going to live, how they're going to rebuild their business because they own the limousine business."

There were two adults and two children lived in the home.

Atkins Fire Department says the house is considered a total loss, and the cause is under investigation.

Southwest Iowa house destroyed by early-morning fire

Southwest Iowa house destroyed by early-morning fire


Posted: Jan 10, 2015 1:34 PM EST Updated: Jan 10, 2015 1:34 PM EST

OAKLAND, Iowa (AP) - A home outside of Oakland in southwest Iowa has been destroyed in an early-morning fire.


The Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil reports (http://bit.ly/1A33mB7 ) that firefighters were called to the home around 4 a.m. Friday.


Firefighters arrived to see smoke rising from the home's basement.


Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Director Doug Reed says the home's residents woke up to smoke and were able to crawl out before the fire spread. No one was injured, but the home was a total loss.

Five people displaced by house fire in Newport, R.I. The fire started in the kitchen.

Five people displaced by house fire in Newport, R.I.  The fire started in the kitchen. 



NEWPORT, R.I. – Five people were displaced Friday night when a fire broke out shortly after 7:30 p.m. at their three-family house.

The first started in the first-floor kitchen at 12 Hasley St. and spread to the second floor, Fire Deputy Chief Wayne Beebe said Saturday.

 All of the occupants escaped uninjured, he said.

The Red Cross provided assistance to the displaced residents, Beebe said.
The fire is under investigation by the state Fire Marshal.

Investigators determine old Jeep caused Kailua house fire in Honolulu

Investigators determine old Jeep caused Kailua house fire





The Honolulu Fire Department's investigator determined the fire that gutted a Kailua house Monday was accidental and originated in the garage from a 32-year-old Jeep.

Neighbors said they heard someone trying to start the Jeep just before the blaze consumed much of the house, located at 136 Kaha St. near Kainalu Elementary School. The son-in-law of one of the owners said he was present at the time, but declined to say what happened.

The blaze consumed much of the house, located at 136 Kaha St. near Kainalu Elementary School.
 

Owners said the house was vacant and was being prepared for rent or sale.


The fire investigator also estimated the damage to the house was $200,000 and $20,000 to its contents, including the 1983 Jeep CJ-7.

HUSKY OFFICIAL SAYS LIMA OHIO REFINERY FIRE UNDER CONTROL, AFTER AN EXPLOSION AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015. NEIGHBORS REPORTED EXPLOSION DEBRIS IN THEIR YARDS.



HUSKY OFFICIAL SAYS LIMA OHIO REFINERY FIRE UNDER CONTROL, AFTER AN EXPLOSION AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015. NEIGHBORS REPORTED EXPLOSION DEBRIS IN THEIR YARDS.








LIMA — A loud explosion at the Husky Lima Refinery shook Lima and the surrounding area early Saturday morning. Authorities said there’s no immediate danger to the area, although the fire continues to burn.



Roads are now open around the refinery.



An isocracker at the refinery exploded around 6 a.m., said Russ Decker, director of Allen County Emergency Management. While the isocracker continues to burn, the flames and fumes neighbors notice are strictly oil burning off and shouldn’t pose a threat to the environment or residents, Decker said.



At a press briefing at 2:30 p.m., officials said the fire was contained and under control by 1:45 p.m. Outside fire agencies planned to leave the facility, leaving the task of controlling the to the refinery’s internal fire department. They said there’s no current danger in the fire spreading to other structures.



Mel Duvall, a spokesman for Husky, said the company was “managing the situation” at 8 a.m. He said the fire started on a processing unit. All personnel had been accounted for, and there were no reported injuries, he said. There was one unrelated injury of a man with a head injury.



Environmental Protection Agency staff were on the scene, Duvall said. Those officials continue to monitor air quality, but they’re not showing dangerous levels so far. Decker said there was no immediate danger, with the biggest impact being the loud whooshing noise heard nearby.



Husky, EMA and EPA officials were all testing the air quality and didn’t find a dangerous amount of harmful chemicals in the air.



Around noon, the Shawnee Township Fire Department’s Platoon Chief John Norris reported the initial fire was “well underway to being contained.”



Sgt. Andy Green, of the Lima Police Department, said the fire was still burning, but residents should be safe if they remain in their homes. Traffic was originally restricted in all directions near the refinery, essentially from Fourth Street to Vine Street until about 12:45 p.m. Only emergency responders were allowed to approach, according to the Lima Police Department.



There were no evacuation ordered. If anyone comes saying people should evacuate, they should call the Lima Police Department at 419-221-5264 before leaving their home.



The incident also caused an electrical outage, affecting the facility’s industrial neighbors. PotashCorp reported the PCS Nitrogen facility lost power, shutting down several units. The facility is re-starting the units over the next few days. The company warned residents they may hear elevated noise levels during the shutdown and startup.



Neighbors reported feeling an explosion shortly after 6 a.m. Saturday, followed by a brighter flame than is typical for the refinery.



Decker said windy conditions actually helped the situation, as it’s helping dissipate the burning oil and fumes. He did acknowledge it also spread the smell of smoke farther.



Some neighbors reported seeing ash and debris in their yards. Decker said they were hydrocarbons from the burning material. If neighbors have concerns or want the debris cleaned up, they’re asked to call Husky’s local number, 419-226-2300.



The burn-off of the flares lit up the early morning sky in Lima.



People as far away as Bluffton, Delphos and Wapakoneta reported feeling the rattle from the explosion, which woke many people in Lima on Saturday morning.



Decker said the explosion was worse than any other he’s dealt with in his 17 years as EMA director. That’s including the 2006 explosion of an oil tanker on Allentown Road. He noted that incident involve 10,000 gallons of fuel and this was “significantly more than that.”



The isocracker that exploded was the first step in refining the crude oil, Decker said. It’s the unit that brings to crude oil up to temperature to start breaking down the oil into other products.



LIMA, OHIO — 


UPDATE @ 4 p.m.


The fire is now under control as some remaining product is being allowed to burn off, according to Husky Spokesman Mel Duvall.

Crews will continue to watch for flare ups.

“It is still too early to say what the impact may be to production, but we do have substantial product in inventory to continue to supply customers,” Duvall said in a prepared statement.


UPDATE @ 11 a.m.

Husky Energy Spokesman Mel Duvall said the fire continues to burn and crews from within the refinery as well as emergency crews from Allen County continue to battle flames.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is at the refinery and air monitoring devices are in place, Duvall said.

There have been no injuries, Duvall confirmed.

Exactly what kind of harmful toxins if any may be in the billowing smoke was not immediately known.

Duvall said the large Lima Refinery is one of the oldest in the country that produces various oil-based products including gasoline, disel and jet fuel.


UPDATE @ 10:40 a.m.

According to a security guard at the refinery, workers there became aware of a fire in one of the processing units round 6 a.m.

All personnel are accounted for and there have been no reported injuries, the guard said.

Emergency crews remain at the scene and smoke continues to billow into the air.

Corporate Spokesman Mel Duvall said he was in the middle of an updated briefing and would be able to provide more information before 11 a.m.


FIRST REPORT

Firefighters are battling a blaze that is reported at the Husky Refinery in Lima.

Lima Police have confirmed they are on the scene assisting crews at the scene in the 1100 block of South Metcalf Street, but say there is currently no danger to the public in terms of chemicals burning.

Calls into the newsroom have reported hearing explosions as far south as Indian Lake in Logan County around 6 a.m. Saturday.

We will continue to monitor this breaking story and update this page with the latest when it’s available.


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Explosion, fire shake Ohio refinery; police say nobody hurt


January 10th, 2015 by Associated Press in Breaking News Read Time: < 1 min.

An explosion at an Ohio oil refinery blew out windows at homes in Lima on Saturday and could be felt at least 10 miles away but resulted in no injuries, police said.

All workers were accounted for after the blast at the Husky Lima Refinery, according to police.

The blast triggered a fire that burned into mid-afternoon and sent black smoke billowing into the air above the refinery. Crews were monitoring the air to make sure there was no danger to those nearby.

Those tests had not detected anything hazardous in the first hours after the explosion, said Heidi Griesmer, a spokeswoman for the Environmental Protection Agency.

The fire was mostly out 10 hours after the 6 a.m. explosion, said Husky Energy spokesman Mel Duvall.

It was too early to determine the extent of the damage or say how the fire will affect production at the plant in the coming days, he said.

The company has substantial product in inventory to continue to supply customers, Duvall added.

No one had to be evacuated, but nearby streets were closed for about seven hours, said Lima police Sgt. Andy Green.

About 20 homeowners reported that the explosion broke their windows.

"It was felt throughout the city," Green said.

Plant officials were initially worried about secondary explosions before the fire was contained, he said.

The explosion happened in a processing unit where crude oil is heated to begin the process of breaking it down into other products.

The refinery anchors an industrial area in Lima, which is about 80 miles northwest of Columbus.

//___________________________________________________//

LIMA, Ohio, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Firefighters continued battling blazes into the afternoon after explosions were reported at a fuel refinery in Ohio early Saturday. 

No injuries were reported at Husky Refinery in Lima, Ohio, where an explosion reportedly shook the surrounding area around 6 a.m., breaking windows in nearby homes and causing fires at the large plant. 

All personnel at the refinery have been accounted for, and officials say the fire is contained, though it continues to burn as Allen County firefighters attempt to douse the flames.
Smoke from the refinery, which processes gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, has billowed high into the air. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is at the scene monitoring for air toxins, according to Husky Energy Spokesman Mel Duvall. 

Lima Police Sgt. Andy Green told NBC24 there is no negative impact on the environment or danger to the public, as the smoke is drifting high into the atmosphere and dissipating.
According to NBC24, the fire originated within one of the plant's processing units from an exploded isocracker, a device that uses pressure to create naphtha and kerosene.

PREVENT FURNACE PROBLEMS THIS WINTER: CLEAN YOUR FURNACE FILTER AND MAKE SURE THE EXHAUST AND INTAKE PIPES ARE CLEAR OF SNOW



PREVENT FURNACE PROBLEMS THIS WINTER: CLEAN YOUR FURNACE FILTER AND MAKE SURE THE EXHAUST AND INTAKE PIPES ARE CLEAR OF SNOW

During the coldest days of the year a furnace may run constantly. If it turns off and on or is not achieving a set temperature, there could be a malfunction.

Many times there is a preventable cause like a very dirty filter that caused the furnace to quit.

One of the main things people need to check is to make sure they have a clean furnace filter, because that dirty filters can cause a furnace to stop working properly. when there’s snow blowing and drifting, you have to make sure the exhaust and intake pipes are clear.
These two PVC pipes are typically visible on the outside of most homes. If the pipes are blocked, safety features are supposed to shut off a furnace to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide in the home.

We recommend to have furnaces cleaned and checked every single year.  It is money well spent.

Officials say extreme weather conditions should prompt neighbors to look out for each other. This is especially important if there is an elderly person who lives alone.

ICY MICHIGAN TAKES ANOTHER TOLL: CAR VS SEMI CRASH ON WB I-94. SERIOUS INJURY REPORTED



ICY MICHIGAN TAKES ANOTHER TOLL: CAR VS SEMI CRASH ON WB I-94. SERIOUS INJURY REPORTED

January 10, 2015
 
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) — A portion of westbound I-94 is closed after a crash involving a car and semi-truck Saturday morning.
Battle Creek police officers responded to the accident and tell 24 Hour News 8 the semi was traveling west on I-94 when the operator lost control due to icy road conditions, crossed the median and struck the passenger vehicle which was headed east on I-94.
According to Calhoun County 911 Central Dispatch, the highway is closed just west of mile marker 95 near Helmer Road.
A medical helicopter has been called to the scene to transport the driver of the passenger vehicle.
Battle Creek police report the driver of that vehicle suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries.
BCPD is urging drivers to use extra caution on the slippery roads.
I-94 remains closed and will be for an undetermined period of time while the vehicles are removed.
The accident remains under investigation.

5 VIRGINIA RESIDENTS RIDING A CAR KILLED IN MD. CRASH INVOLVING WILMINGTON TRUCK DRIVER. THE CAR AND TRUCK CRASHED AT AN INTERSECTION NEAR CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE, IN QUEENSTOWN, MD



5 VIRGINIA RESIDENTS RIDING A CAR KILLED IN MD. CRASH INVOLVING WILMINGTON TRUCK DRIVER.  THE CAR AND TRUCK CRASHED AT AN INTERSECTION NEAR CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE, IN QUEENSTOWN, MD







WYE MILLS, Md. -- Maryland State Police say five people are dead after a Virginia family's car collided with a tractor-trailer driven by a Wilmington man in Queen Anne's County.
The truck driver, Yvenet Mayette, 28, was also injured in the crash.
He was flown by Maryland State Police helicopter to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. Details on his injuries were not immediately available.
Police say three adults, one of whom was pregnant, and two children were killed in the crash about 1:15 a.m. Saturday on Route 50 in Wye Mills. The car and truck crashed at an intersection near Chesapeake College.
The victims are identified as 24-year-old Regina Ayres of Greenbush, Virginia; her 7-year-old daughter Jordan Ayres; her 2-month-old son Jonathan Ayres; her 25-year-old boyfriend Travis Straton of Onancock, Virginia; and Regina Ayers' 30-year-old sister Zerissa Ayers, who was pregnant.
The family was driving in a 2006 Suzuki Forenza westbound on Rt. 50 approaching the intersection with Rt. 213 at the time of the accident. The tractor trailer was southbound on Rt. 213 at Rt. 50
The truck collided with car's passenger side, police said. Both vehicles traveled across the intersection and the tractor trailer rolled over the car before coming to rest, investigators reported.
Four of the five victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Zerissa Ayres, who was pregnant, was transported by ambulance to Easton Memorial Hospital, where both she was pronounced dead. Her unborn child did not survive. Police said investigators have been unable to determine who was driving the car the family was traveling in.
The Maryland State Police Crash Team and Maryland State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division are investigating.
Troopers said the Ayres family left Greenbush, Va., Friday night on a trip to Baltimore, Md. to visit family. The tractor trailer driver was reportedly been headed home to Wilmington, according to police.
The trailer was loaded with 44,000 pounds of polyfiber that the Mayette picked up Friday in Charlotte, N.C., police said. The tractor trailer is owned by Nationwide Solutions, LLC, of St. John, Indiana.
Fire and EMS crews from Queen Anne's County, Centreville, Queenstown, Grasonville, Hillsboro, and Talbot County responded to the scene of the accident. State Highway Administration members and deputies from the Queen Anne's County Sheriff's Office also helped with the accident.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash. At this time, alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the accident. The intersection where the crash happened is controlled by a traffic signal, according to authorities.
The crash required the closure of both east and westbound Rt. 50, which re-opened in both directions at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.
No charges have been filed at this time.  It appears that either the driver or the car run a red light.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to contact Maryland State Police at (410) 758-1101, ext. 7.