Fire damage costs $1.5 million

A diesel-fueled fire caused more than $1.5 million worth of damage to a road construction plant west of Clarendon last Wednesday, October 8.

The Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department and Donley County EMS were dispatched at 11:53 to the reported diesel fuel tank fire at the J. Lee Milligan Plant on FM 2362 just south of US 287. Five trucks and nine firemen responded.

Firemen discovered an 8,500-gallon diesel tank was leaking and a large ground fire was heating the tank. The same tank in a different compartment contained 11,000 gallons of burner oil, and the fire was also affecting several drums of oil, a 300-gallon diesel tank, a 300-gallon propane tank, and a tank of liquid asphalt heated to 350°F. A large electrical generator was also in the vicinity.

Clarendon VFD evacuated the area as the fire was out of control and the danger of an explosion was too great to suppress the fire. The Pantex Fire Department was called for mutual aid at 12:30 p.m. and responded with three units and six firefighters.

Clarendon Fire Chief Jeremy Powell said the Pantex FD has a truck capable of putting foam on a chemical fire at a rate of 1,000 gallons per minute. Clarendon can pump foam at 250 gallons per minute.

Just before 1:00 p.m., a 300-gallon steel fuel tank exploded, rocking the plant and causing heavy damage to the area.

Pantex FD showed up a short time later and agreed with CVFD officials that the scene was unsafe for firefighters. Fire officials then explained to Milligan officials that the fire would likely have to burn itself out.

Pantex remained on the scene for several hours and then returned to Pantex.

About 5 p.m., CVFD noticed the fire had subsided and began cooling the area by pumping water onto the fire from a distance. The department used a thermal camera and noted that cooling efforts had worked and the tank had become less of a risk.

A direct attack was staged on the fire with Milligan employees assisting by smothering the leaking fuel and fire by dumping loads of sand on the fire with a front-end loader as CVFD pumped water and foam onto the fire.

The blaze was contained by 6 p.m., and firefighters returned to the station at 7 p.m.

“The combined efforts J. Lee Milligan employees and Clarendon Firefighters stopped the fire and prevented further property loss or damage,” Powell said.

Early damage estimates were $1.5 to $2 million, and the plant will be closed for several days for repairs.

Powell said the fire was caused by an accidental diesel spill from a fuel transport company filling the 8,500-gallon tank. The spilled diesel contacted the open flame of a propane torch being used by Milligan employees in the process of plant duties. The leak on the tank was subsequently caused by the fire burning and damaging fuel lines.

CVFD used its thermal imaging camera during the course of the fire. Fuel in the diesel tank was heated to 450°F and many objects near the fire were heated to an excess of 2,000°F.