WOOD COUNTY, Texas (KLTV) – One of the most challenging situations faced by firefighters, especially in rural areas of East Texas, involves battling oil tank fires.
Four East Texas volunteer fire departments recently fought a massive one.
A loud fire at an oil tank in Wood County was battled by many volunteer firefighters in a densely forested region near Country Road 3947.
“When I initially arrived at the scene, I wasn’t entirely certain how to interpret it. There were fires raging all around us. I must admit, I was somewhat apprehensive about the situation we were heading into,” stated Joe Taylor, chief from the Holly Lake Volunteer Fire Department.
Tank fires require different tactics and precision among agencies because of the dangers involved.
“Petroleum products, you don’t know what kind of chemicals are in these tanks. It got hot enough, the pressure blew the tops of the tanks off,” the chief says.
And in a heavily wooded area, there was the danger the fire would jump to the woods and get out of control.
The inferno did actually catch adjacent woods on fire, creating a dangerous situation of extensive fuel.
“The ignited oil from the burn ended up setting the forest ablaze behind the tank farm. That’s why we contacted the Texas Forest Service to create a firebreak,” Taylor explains.
Thanks to the collaboration between Holly Lake, Hawkins, Quitman, and Hainesville fire departments along with the Texas Forest Service, the blaze has been brought under control.
“Where it was heading towards the woods, we noticed several chicken coops scattered throughout the area, along with some homes situated farther up the road. These structures consistently worried us,” states the chief.
Chief Taylor states that a collaborative effort among all participating agencies enabled them to bring the fire under control in approximately half an hour.
According to a state investigator, the reason for the blaze remains undetermined.
Leave a Reply