PFDRes47cue

Pleasantville VAC voted at our meeting tonight to donate a check of $500 to the family. One behalf of PVAC, our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Pleasantville VAC voted at our meeting tonight to donate a check of $500 to the family. One behalf of PVAC, our thoughts and prayers are with you.

This incident really concerns me. I cannot recall ever hearing or reading of an incident of this type; an exploding dumpster that killed a firefighter. We've all seen BLEVEs in our time. I also recall one incident where firefighters were cutting open the side of a Silo with a partner saw, hosing down the blade to prevent sparks when the particulate matter inside the silo exploded, blowing the cut section out and killing a firefighter.
But this incident is unique. Naturally with hindsight it's easy to say the department involved should have been aware of the occupancy; an aluminum sand casting plant, that should have raised red flags with regard to the contents of the dumpster.
Do you know the industrial sites within your response area; what they manufacture, and what they would be disposing of as a biproduct of their manufacturing? Sure if you have a furniture plant in your district you would be aware of the fire load and chemical hazards within the plant, but how many of us have the awareness to think that the disposal areas outside the plant could be time-bombs just waiting for water to be added to create an explosion hazard?
In my time, the thing that most concerned me was auto-exposure from a dumpster to the structure itself. I mostly thought if the contents contained something dangerous it would be latex paint cans, or possibly spray paint. We had numerous dumpster fires, and pulled the engine close enough to extinguish the fire with a 100' trash line. But now, after this, I think I wouldn't do it anymore.
What about a gasoline can in the dumpster, like Bill pointed out? Or a discarded propane tank, that somebody just dropped in the garbage in the dark of night?
I really think this incident should be given GREAT attention by all fire departments. The NIOSH report should be poured over by everyone. And immediately, ALL dumpster fires should be approached as if they are ALL capable of exploding, and causing death or injury to firefighters.
How about this; if there is no exposure issue with a burning dumpster, why not just automatically create a hot-zone, and do not attempt to extinguish it? I mean, what are we actually "saving" anyway? A dumpster? Certainly not the contents. IMHO, let it burn out, and stay away.
This fatal incident should be given high priority and put all departments on notice to NOT continue business as usual. Dumpsters have become EXTREMELY hazardous, and ALL dumpster fires should be treated as haz-mat incidents from now on. For God sake, this thing went off like an IED!

It seems to me like Chris192 is choosing what people can and can not watch. I did not tell anyone what they can and can not watch. I just posted a link to something that I did not think should be shown publicly which allowed people who WANT to to watch it and then form their own opinion. Is removing a link by any chances deciding what people can and can not watch?

http://www.jwcaketops.com/wedfigurines/Occupationsuniforms/emt.htm
This is a really cute wedding cake topper where the bride and groom both have scopes and EMT bags with them. (they also have Police, Fire, etc...)
In my next life I will be a wedding planner, not a drug and alcohol educator!!

I arrived late with the Pleasantville Ambulance Rehab after fire was knocked down. Sorry for the poor quality, pictures were taken with my cell phone.