Fire at Stamford pool company 07/19/08

[LT. 22 1]

Anybody have any info on this fire? Early Saturday morning...?

[Geppetto 31]

Stamford Advocate 07/19/2008

Stamford pool company destroyed by fire

By Elizabeth Kim Staff Writer

STAMFORD - Shoreline Pools Warehouse on Selleck Street collapsed after a chemical fire broke out at about 11 p.m. Friday.

Three Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters were taken to the hospital because of dehydration from the extreme heat of the fire. They were released from the hospital this morning. No other injuries were reported. ...

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/ci_9934246

There are two threads at the Advocate - this is the longer story.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/localnews/ci_9937736

[Geppetto 31]

Fire slams force: 13 police officers treated for exposure to chemicals

By Jeff Morganteen

Stamford Advocate 7/21/08

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/localnews/ci_9944946

[hudson144 150]

Exposed to chemicals-this is not to start a gripe between the pd/fd but police officers need to know the hazards involved and if they can keep themselves out of harms way they should do so. If there is no life hazard present its not worth it! Be safe and set up a perimiter to keep from being in the plume of smoke/chemicals.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

I hope the officers are ok. What were the officers doing for so many to be exposed to the toxic plumes and sent to the hospital?

[grumpyff 1,159]

I was not there, but if is anything like NYC, if a boss tells you to stand in this intersection and block it, they do not want to hear complaints about smoke in the area.

[Guest FFNick]

I wonder if this fire has anything to do with the fact that the owner was just recently arrested for 2nd Degree Manslaughter due to a child drowning in one of the pools his company built? Hopefully not.

Shoreline Pools Owner Arrested

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Wow...saw both of these stories but I did not put the two names together. The investigation into this fire is going to be and just got very interesting.

[FFPCogs 863]

Wow...saw both of these stories but I did not put the two names together. The investigation into this fire is going to be and just got very interesting.

First off, hope all the FFs and cops are ok and suffer no long term effects.

Whether or not there's any connection..if he torched his building or had it torched, I hope the full weight of the law crushes him.

Unfortunately we all know the conviction rates for arson.

Cogs

Edited July 22, 2008 by FFPCogs

[jack10562 414]

I wonder if this fire has anything to do with the fact that the owner was just recently arrested for 2nd Degree Manslaughter due to a child drowning in one of the pools his company built? Hopefully not.

Shoreline Pools Owner Arrested

Not likely. According to the story he was arrested in connection with the death several days AFTER the blaze at his business.

[Guest]

I was not there, but if is anything like NYC, if a boss tells you to stand in this intersection and block it, they do not want to hear complaints about smoke in the area.

aren't PD's supposed to have respirators for their officers??

[jack10562 414]

aren't PD's supposed to have respirators for their officers??

You don't mean those useless toss-away painter's masks, do you?

I have never seen a cop with SCBA.

Maybe ESU, but not the rank-and-file street cops, that would have been sent to this, or any other fire.

[Guest]

You don't mean those useless toss-away painter's masks, do you?

I have never seen a cop with SCBA.

Maybe ESU, but not the rank-and-file street cops, that would have been sent to this, or any other fire.

not the Tb (or painters' mask) and not SCBA, but the masks with the filtering canisters on one or both sides, but i guess not since you didn't even mention it lol

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

I have seen NYPD with masks in a black tactical pouch strapped to their leg. They are to be used against a CRBN attack so they could be used in a situation like this. I also thought that 30,000 of these masks were recalled for some reason a few years ago.

Edited July 22, 2008 by bvfdjc316

[grumpyff 1,159]

Not to get off topic, but yes in NYPD we have the 15 minute escape hood (totally useless), and the MSA Milinium mask respirators. Bosses are hestitant to use them, as there no one wants to take responsiblility. take the steam pipe explosion near Grand Central last year. I worked the midnight tour. we asked if we should bring our respirators , and were told no by our Boro command. We were given paper dust/painters masks. After 4 hours at the site the Office of Emergency Management started to notice no one from PD wearing respirators and pitched a b****. Only then were respirators given out to us.

Edited July 22, 2008 by grumpyff

[jack10562 414]

I see you edited your picture. Those half-face respirators and Magenta cartridges in the original picture are only good for dust particulates, chemical fumes will go right through them. That one most likely has a chemical cartridge, except that won't do anyone any good if there is less than 19% atmospheric oxygen ...

For chlorine or any other IDLH atmosphere a supplied air respirator is required.

Additionally, depending on circumstances, protective clothing impervious to chemicals is also required, Interior firefighter turnouts are not always up to the task when chemical fumes are present.

[lad45der 78]

I see you edited your picture. Those half-face respirators and Magenta cartridges in the original picture are only good for dust particulates, chemical fumes will go right through them. That one most likely has a chemical cartridge, except that won't do anyone any good if there is less than 19% atmospheric oxygen ...

For chlorine or any other IDLH atmosphere a supplied air respirator is required.

Additionally, depending on circumstances, protective clothing impervious to chemicals is also required, Interior firefighter turnouts are not always up to the task when chemical fumes are present.

The machines that were on scene are now experiencing mechnical breakdowns as of yesterday??. I was working the night of the fire but that engine never made it down to the fire. I don't know anything about the machine's in question just rumors while working yesterday, Maybe one of my co-workers can tell us what's happening to the machines. I just hope the firefighters and the police are gonna be ok down the road.

[Guest FFNick]

Not likely. According to the story he was arrested in connection with the death several days AFTER the blaze at his business.

Perhaps, but that logic would assume that he knew nothing about any pending litigation. This child from Greenwich unfortunately died in the pool incident last July. The fire happened Friday at 1045pm, he was arrested the following Monday.

Either way, the death is unfortunate, and the timing of the fire certainly warrants a closer look.

[jack10562 414]

The machines that were on scene are now experiencing mechnical breakdowns as of yesterday??.

It 's a possibility that the chlorine gas fumes got sucked into the engines and an acidic reaction has caused a contamination of the lubricating oils, and other serious internal engine corrosion problems are happening as well.

Chlorine compounds formed in an internal combustion engine environment can create acids that attack parts in an engine such as bearings, pistons and other metal alloys, as well as break down rubber, neoprene, cork, and other seal and gasket components.

[dartnk45 11]

my father is working today and from what he has told me both engine 3 and truck 3 are rusting at a very quick rate due to placement of the rigs appon arival. their are photos of the fire at stamfordfirepix.com and you can see how close Three company parked since they were first company in. another thing that my fater told me was the every firefighter that was at the fire including Drivers were using SCBA's from the get go.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Does anyone have a list and pictures of the damage to Engine 3/Truck3? I am curious to see the damage that chlorine gas can do to apparatus.

[SDaly64 1]

my father is working today and from what he has told me both engine 3 and truck 3 are rusting at a very quick rate due to placement of the rigs appon arival. their are photos of the fire at stamfordfirepix.com and you can see how close Three company parked since they were first company in. another thing that my fater told me was the every firefighter that was at the fire including Drivers were using SCBA's from the get go.

I am the Lt. on Truck 3 today and so far it's fine, there is no visible rust.

[dartnk45 11]

if truck 3 is ok how bout engine 3 was my fathers info wrong about the engine aswell.

Tom Tisano JR

[Flyboy69 1]

I can not speak about truck 3, but engine 3 was taken out of service and sent to twin lights to be completely checked out. I did see engine 2 on Monday and it did have some damage to the different areas.

[SDaly64 1]

if truck 3 is ok how bout engine 3 was my fathers info wrong about the engine aswell.

Tom Tisano JR

I have been told that Engine 3 had some corrosion, not sure how bad. But Truck 3 seems OK so far...

[jcoppola 52]

Does anyone have a list and pictures of the damage to Engine 3/Truck3? I am curious to see the damage that chlorine gas can do to apparatus.

Chlorine gas is highly corrosive, depending on the concentration in the smoke. Adding water to it creates hydrochloric acid. That would be able to etch the diamondplate and destroy paint no doubt. Not much SFD could have done to limit water when the place is ripping out of control as it seems it was.

I, for one, am happy that no SFD brothers were injured or suffered effects of the toxic smoke that must have been pouring out of the place. It reminds me of a fire many years ago that I remember vividly where some SFD guys were burned badly enough to have to retire from the job (Polycast). One of those members burned is still on the job today and is one of the most respected guys on the job, not to mention citywide, as his career dated back to a good volunteer house.

Stay safe,

Joe C.

[FFPCogs 863]

Not to get off topic.

Joe ,

I remember Polycast well, and visiting him at the hospital. He is indeed one of the best I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.

We (him and I) had a great trip driving the rig (actually he did all ther driving) to the very first FH Expo and Muster in Baltimore. Ahhh memories.

From what I've read this fire (Selleck St.) was a job well done by all in the face of some very bad...well sh*t. Kudos to all and thanks guys.

Cogs

Edited July 25, 2008 by FFPCogs

[Remember585 815]

Chlorine gas is nasty stuff. We've had a few chlorine gas incidents here, and both of them did a fair amount of damage.

Last year, when our Water Department Pump Station has a chlorine gas leak, the PD parked across the road to detour traffic and go door to door to evacuate people. The one patrol car stalled out thanks to the chlorine getting into it.

If I am not mistaken, that car is no longer on the road...

[Geppetto 31]

While you guys are off the subject - I think you have Polycast confused with the United Organics fire. As I recall, several firefighters were burned at that event.

[FFPCogs 863]

U.O. you are right Geppetto. I guess I don't remember it quite as well as I thought. Must be gettin old.

thanx for the correction.

Cogs