WOMAN SUFFERS FACIAL BURNS WHEN
FIRE SWEEPS THROUGH CAMPER AT MANSFIELD CAMPGROUND IN
MASSACHUSETTS. THE FIRE WAS FUELED BY A
PROPANE TANK THAT ACCIDENTALLY FELL, KNOCKING OFF THE VALVE AND RELEASING
PROPANE TO IGNITION AREAS IN THE CAMPER.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
MANSFIELD — A woman suffered burns
to her face and hands when a fire fueled by a nearby propane tank fell,
igniting a blaze this afternoon that destroyed her camper at the Canoe River Campground.
The name of the woman was not released, but Fire Capt. Bob
Merritt said she was taken to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence for treatment
of first- and second-degree burns to her face and hands and possible smoke
inhalation.
She suffered the injuries after she and her husband tried to
put the blaze out with fire extinguishers before the flames engulfed the
38-foot aluminum camper they lived in.
The fire was fueled by a 100-pound overturned propane tank
that sustained a broken value when it fell over. “Flames were shooting out of
the tank” toward the camper when firefighters arrived and found the flaming
tank and other propane tanks nearby, Merritt said.
The camper was reduced to rubble and twisted metal.
The fire was caused when a propane accidentally fell,
knocking off the value and sending propane under the camper where the heat and
other utilities were located. The propane ignited, causing a flash fire but no
explosion, Merritt said.
Workers were transferred propane tanks at the camper when
the accident happened, Merritt said.
The couple was displaced by the fire. The American Red Cross
responded to assist the victims.
“Unfortunately, they lost everything,” Merritt said.
The husband is a maintenance worker at the campground, which
is located at 137 Mill St.
It took about 20 minutes to get the blaze under control. It
spewed a spiral of thick gray smoke high into the air which could be seen from
Route 106.
Merritt said firefighting efforts were complicated by the
potential danger of the additional propane tanks exploding and the lack of
water supply in the area.
The tank that was spewing flames was near six other tanks,
two other 100-pound tanks and four 20-pound tanks, Merritt said.
The nearest fire hydrant was about 1,200 feet away at the
entrance to the campground, Merritt said, and two fire engines carrying 750
gallons of water had exhausted their supply.
Firefighters continued to douse the smoky rubble for about
an hour after the 1:35 p.m. call.
Firefighters were busy handling other emergencies when they
got the initial call for a propane tank fire. Police officers, who were first
on the scene, then reported that the camper was fully engulfed in flames,
Merritt said.
Foxboro firefighters on an engine assisted Mansfield
firefighters on two engines and a ladder truck responded to the fire scene.
Norton firefighters covered the North Main Street fire station. In all, about
20 firefighters, including fire chiefs from Mansfield, Foxboro and Easton
responded, Merritt said.
Police closed Mill Street, near the campground entrance, for
about 1 1/2 hours because a fire hose had to be placed across the street.