Posted 3:55 pm Wednesday, January 30, 2013
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2 injured in blast ; firefighters brave fire, explosion
Firefighters from multiple departments fought a raging fire Tuesday morning after an oil storage facility blew up, injuring two people.
Van Zandt County Fire Marshal Chuck Allen said the man and woman injured were taken to the Van Fire Department by someone taking them for medical assistance shortly before 3 a.m.
Allen said firefighters responded to the scene just north of Van and found two storage tanks on fire and a third dangerously close to exploding.
Van Fire Department Fire Marshal Terry Blackmon said as firefighters were battling the blaze, the third tank exploded.
“We had pieces of the tank and the top went right over our firefighters. We are lucky no one was injured,” he said.
Allen said the two people injured were a man and woman, both of which are 24 years old.
“They were transported to East Texas Medical Center and subsequently have been flown to Parkland Hospital in Dallas with serious injuries,” he said.
Allen said the woman was on life support and the man has burns to his face, chest and arms.
Van Fire Department Fire Marshal Terry Blackmon said as firefighters were battling the blaze, the third tank exploded.
“We had pieces of the tank and the top went right over our firefighters. We are lucky no one was injured,” he said.
Allen said the two people injured were a man and woman, both of which are 24 years old.
“They were transported to East Texas Medical Center and subsequently have been flown to Parkland Hospital in Dallas with serious injuries,” he said.
Allen said the woman was on life support and the man has burns to his face, chest and arms.
“It is reported that both individuals were smoking on top of the storage tanks, when one of the tanks exploded,” he said.
Allen said Van Fire Department, along with Grand Saline, Tyler Fire Department Haz Mat and Lindale Fire Department, responded to the incident.
About 9:30 a.m. firefighters said the fire was out and crews went to work containing an oil spill that breached one of the tank batteries' berms.
In East Texas, several people have been killed in the past decade while climbing or sitting on oil storage tanks.
In 2003, four Mount Enterprise teens were killed south of Palestine when a fifth teen lit a cigarette lighter as the group climbed on an oil tank.
In 2010, a woman was killed, and her friend was seriously injured when they climbed onto an oil tank and lit a cigarette near New London.
“These sites are off limits to persons not associated with the company operating the facility,” Allen said. “They have warning signs all over them, and people should heed these warnings.”
Officals at Parkland Hospital in Dallas said Tuesday they could not release the names of the victims involved in the accident as it is a violation of HIPPA laws.
Allen said Van Fire Department, along with Grand Saline, Tyler Fire Department Haz Mat and Lindale Fire Department, responded to the incident.
About 9:30 a.m. firefighters said the fire was out and crews went to work containing an oil spill that breached one of the tank batteries' berms.
In East Texas, several people have been killed in the past decade while climbing or sitting on oil storage tanks.
In 2003, four Mount Enterprise teens were killed south of Palestine when a fifth teen lit a cigarette lighter as the group climbed on an oil tank.
In 2010, a woman was killed, and her friend was seriously injured when they climbed onto an oil tank and lit a cigarette near New London.
“These sites are off limits to persons not associated with the company operating the facility,” Allen said. “They have warning signs all over them, and people should heed these warnings.”
Officals at Parkland Hospital in Dallas said Tuesday they could not release the names of the victims involved in the accident as it is a violation of HIPPA laws.
