Case Study Review 19211 Watkins Mill Road Gas Leak with Catastrophic Explosion June 15-16,1993 Presented by: Lieutenant Bill Bindl & Battalion Chief Barry C. Reid 19211 Watkins Mill Road 1 Barry C. Reid 19211 Watkins Mill Road June 16, 1993 Injuries � 7 Firefighters � 2 WGL Employees 19211 Watkins Mill Road 2 Barry C. Reid 1
Performance Objectives The participants will review the actions taken at the incident presented in this Case Study Review in order to understand the decision making process and the problems that were encountered, and to improve their own command and control skills. 19211 Watkins Mill Road 3 Barry C. Reid Overview � Rules of Engagement � The Building � The Exposures � The Fire � The Command Structure � Problems Encountered � Actions Taken � Communications � Lessons Learned 19211 Watkins Mill Road 4 Barry C. Reid 2
Rules of Engagement � Be respectful � Be accurate � Be honest � Be brief (don’t beat a dead horse, please) 19211 Watkins Mill Road 5 Barry C. Reid 10 Common Fireground Errors 1. Failure to establish a water supply 2. Failure to provide adequate coverage 3. Failure to address the objectives 4. Failure to request assistance soon enough 5. Failure to provide back-up lines 6. Failure to use large flows for large fires 7. Failure to adequately ventilate 8. Failure to coordinate the interior attack 9. Failure to maintain accountability 10. Failure to assign a safety officer 19211 Watkins Mill Road 6 Barry C. Reid 3
Fireground Fireground “13” I ndiscretions I ndiscretions 1. L a c k of pre -inc ide nt knowle dg e a nd infor ma tion 2. Most sig nific a nt pr oble m not ide ntifie d 3. Ina ppropria te ope ra tiona l mode 4. No pla n for mula te d a nd c ommunic a te d 5. Insuffic ie nt pe rsonne l 6. Abse nc e of "ta c tic a l ac c ounta bility" 7. Spa n of c ontr ol out of c ontrol 8. Nobody wa tc hing the c loc k 9. Poor fir e - g rowth ma na g e me nt 10. Insuffic ie nt GPM for BT U 11. F ire offic e rs ope ra ting a t ta sk le ve l 12. Ra ndom undisc ipline d c ommunic ation 13. No r e g ula r, pe riodic situa tion r e a sse ssme nt 19211 Watkins Mill Road www.c ompe te ntc ommand.c om fr e e stuff 7 Barry C. Reid The Error Chain Latent failures O r g a n i z a t i o n a l I n f l u e n c e s (Swiss Cheese Model) U n s a f e Latent failures s u p e r v i s i o n Latent failures P r e c o n d i t i o n s f o r u n s a f e a c t s U n s a f e A c t s Active failures Failed or absent defenses ACCIDENT 19211 Watkins Mill Road 8 01-8-S248-EP used courtesy of MC Solutions Barry C. Reid 4
The Area 19211 Watkins Mill Road 9 Barry C. Reid The Building � Strip Mall � Anchor Store (Giant) � Type 2 Construction � Automatic Sprinklers 19211 Watkins Mill Road 10 Barry C. Reid 5
1 Schenks Hair Grape& Hardware Salon Grain 2 Giant 19219 21 23 4 19227 (19211) G G G G 3 Not to scale Montgomery Village Ave 19211 Watkins Mill Road 11 Stores (rear) Barry C. Reid 1993 GIS Aerial Photo Center Way Watkins Mill Rd Montgomery Villager Ave Stedwick Road 19211 Watkins Mill Road 12 Barry C. Reid 6
2006 Aerial Photo 19211 Watkins Mill Road 13 Barry C. Reid Response � 2 nd Alarm � Adaptive � Command – E81 D8 (Strock) – E311 – – E281 C29 (May) – – E31 – T8 C29x1 (Dmuchowski) – – E231 � 1 st Alarm After Explosion � – E131 – E291 C8x2 – – T31 – E171 C200 (McLaughlin) – – T3 – E172* U3 (Adams) – – M89 – T29 U33 (Rooney – EMS) – – AR1 C205 (Bickham) – RS9 – K85 (Chaplin Gene – A88 – Cummins) Mulhall – 19211 Watkins Mill Road 14 Barry C. Reid 7
Exposures � Side 1 (A) – None – Parking Lot � Side 2 (B) – Commercial Building on the 2/3 corner across service road � Side 3 (C) – Commercial structures addressed off of Montgomery Village Ave across common loading / service road. � Side 4 (D) – Adjoining stores (19219-19223) Detached closest structure YMCA 10011 Stedwick Road 19211 Watkins Mill Road 15 Barry C. Reid The Fire 23:11 � E81, E281 & T8 dispatched for odor of gas in the Giant Store. � Found strong odor of gas in the store � Exterior check found fire at the gas meter Side 4 Quadrant C � Box Alarm Requested 19211 Watkins Mill Road 16 Barry C. Reid 8
The Fire Schenks Hair Grape& Hardware Salon Grain Giant 19219 21 23 19227 G 19211 Watkins Mill Road 17 Barry C. Reid The Fire 23:35 � Box Alarm 8-4 dispatched adding: – E291 – E171 – E172 – T29 – RS9 – A88 – Duty 8 – Chief 29 19211 Watkins Mill Road 18 Barry C. Reid 9
Initial Actions � Command Established Side 1 – Duty 8 (Captain Roger Strock) > CP – Chief 29 (Chief Mike May) > CP – Chief 29-1 (D/C Mike Dmuchowski) > Side 3 � Channel 3 assigned as the alternate channel � A88 set up aide station � Situation report given to command (Investigator, and Gas Co requested when box was requested) 19211 Watkins Mill Road 19 Barry C. Reid Initial Actions � Plan was to protect areas around gas-fed fire (specifically, a wooden decorative structure above the brick wall) until arrival of Gas Company. � T29 ordered to open roof (used scuttles and cut 4x4 hole) � E291 directed to lay a line from the hydrant at the corner of sides 1 & 2 and advance a line in to the Giant to check for extension 19211 Watkins Mill Road 20 Barry C. Reid 10
Initial Actions � E291* did not lay out but carried out order – no extension found – crews came out. � E171 completed a reverse lay later * Note E134 (front mount pump similar to this photo) was running as E291. 19211 Watkins Mill Road 21 Barry C. Reid Initial Actions � One of A88’s crew members was directed to open up Exposure 4-1 (Beer & Wine) store and check for gas or extension – none found*. � Giant was evacuated - other stores were closed. * The beer store was checked with a Gas-Trac and frequently by firefighters who were using the store to move between the rear and front of the complex. 19211 Watkins Mill Road 22 Barry C. Reid 11
E172 Apparatus Positioning A88 K8-4 1 9 2 Command E 8 T8 T29 P 1 7 1 E P V 1 ½” Schenks Hair Grape& Hardware Salon Grain Giant 19219 21 23 19227 E 8 1 4x4 vent opening G G G 3x3 scuttle small G scuttle PPV PPV E281 Not to scale Montgomery Village Ave 19211 Watkins Mill Road 23 Stores (rear) Barry C. Reid Gas Company Arrives � At 00:01 Washington Gas arrives but has trouble finding the street valve. 19211 Watkins Mill Road 24 Barry C. Reid 12
Continuing Actions � At 00:15 T29 placed PPV fan at front door of Giant closest to Side 1 / 2. � Additional fans later placed in rear � At 00:25 T29 and RS9 entered the Giant in full PPE to displace ceiling tiles in an effort to clear the area above the suspended ceiling. 19211 Watkins Mill Road 25 Barry C. Reid E172 Apparatus Positioning A88 K8-4 1 9 2 Command E 8 T8 T29 P 1 7 1 P E V 1 ½” Schenks Hair Grape& Hardware Salon Grain Giant 19219 21 23 19227 E 8 1 4x4 vent opening G G G 3x3 scuttle G small scuttle PPV PPV E281 Not to scale Montgomery Village Ave 19211 Watkins Mill Road 26 Stores (rear) Barry C. Reid 13
Continuing Operations � Command maintained contact with Side 3 throughout the incident � At 00:37 Washington Gas had found the correct valve and began to shut it down. � The fire began to go out 19211 Watkins Mill Road 27 Barry C. Reid Explosion � Units in the rear remember hearing some popping and rumbling sounds and began to evacuate as the explosion occurred. 19211 Watkins Mill Road 28 Barry C. Reid 14
E172 Explosion A88 K8-4 1 9 2 Command E 8 T8 T29 P 1 7 1 E P V 1 ½” Schenks Hair Grape& Fire Balls Hardware Salon Grain Giant 19219 21 23 19227 E 8 1 4x4 vent opening G G G 3x3 scuttle small G scuttle PPV PPV E281 Not to scale Montgomery Village Ave 19211 Watkins Mill Road 29 Stores (rear) Barry C. Reid Personnel at time of explosion Not to scale E172 A88 and escape routes K8-4 1 9 2 Command E 8 T8 T29 P 1 7 1 P E V 1 ½” Schenks Hair Grape& Fire Balls Hardware Salon Grain Giant 19219 21 23 19227 E 8 1 4x4 vent opening G G G 3x3 scuttle G small scuttle pallets PPV PPV E281 Montgomery Village Ave 19211 Watkins Mill Road 30 Stores (rear) Barry C. Reid 15
Truck 8 – Parked on Side One in front of the stores where explosion blew glass and debris approx. 200 feet into parking lot when the explosion happened. 19211 Watkins Mill Road 31 Barry C. Reid Side One of Grape & Grain Store – 19223 Watkins Mill Road 19211 Watkins Mill Road 32 Barry C. Reid 16
Overview of Side One of stores affected by explosion. Note amount of debris that forcefully blew out front of stores. 19211 Watkins Mill Road 33 Barry C. Reid Overview of Side One of stores affected by explosion. Note amount of debris that forcefully blew out front of stores. 19211 Watkins Mill Road 34 Barry C. Reid 17
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