FIRE INCIDENTS FROM NFPA FILES Compiled and written by Richard Campbell, NFPA Research Group Industrial WASHINGTON Scrapped autos fuel major barge fire Firefighters were dispatched to an auto scrap facility shortly after 8 p.m. by multiple reports of thick black smoke and fire. Upon arrival, crews found flames issuing from a cargo of scrapped automobiles stacked atop a large barge, which was moored in a river and secured to a seawall at the end of the property. Crews pulled hoses to begin suppression efforts, but were initially unable to gain access to the fire due to its location at the outermost edge of stacked vehicles at the far end of the barge. Firefighters were able to begin putting water on the fire with the assistance of ladder units, and the arrival of a fire boat provided a more direct line of fire attack. A foam truck from a nearby airfield responded to the scene. As suppression efforts continued, news reports described billowing black smoke and explosions as combustible materials in the scrapped material ignited. Crews were reportedly able to bring the fire under control in about an hour, but crews remained on the scene for several more hours as crane operators removed vehicles to allow extinguishment of hard-to-reach hot spots. The fire department reported that 39 pieces of fire aparatus and 131 personnel were involved in the response. The Coast Guard and environmental authorities also reported to the scene to prepare the deployment of booms for environmental containment. Two firefighters were transported to a local medical center for treatment of minor injuries. According to a crane operator, the fire began as he lowered crane jaws to grab a vehicle and it burst into flames. He reported observing what he believed to be propane tanks on the underside of the vehicle. The operator managed to remove the burning vehicle from the N F PA . O R G / J O U R N A L * NFPA JOURNAL Firewatch_05.20_V2.indd 75 | 75 5/1/20 11:44 AMhttp://NFPA.ORG/JOURNAL