Hazmat Case Study

‘Barn Fire’Trevenna Farm

St. Neot, LiskeardThursday 1st September 1994

Introduction

The purpose of this presentation is to share an

operational incident that occurred within Cornwall County Fire Brigade which led to the unfortunate death of Leading Firefighter Mike ‘Sonny’ Liston.

Saturday 3rd September 1994

Farm Hazards by UN Class

• Class 1 Explosives (firearms & bird scarers)

• Class 2 Gases (LPG, Acetylene)

• Class 3 Flammable Liquids (Diesel)

• Class 4 Flammable Solids (dry manure)

Farm Hazards by UN Class

• Class 5 Oxidising Substances & Organic Peroxides (Sodium nitrite /Ammonium

Nitrate)

• Class 6 Toxic & Infectious (herbicides)

• Class 7 Radioactive (combine harvesters)

• Class 8 Corrosive Substances (Sulphuric acid - potato farming)

• Class 9 Miscellaneous (Asbestos)

‘Turnout’ details

• Approx 1500hrs, Thursday 1st September 1994

• Reported “Barn Fire”, St. Neot, Liskeard

• PDA ~ 2 WrL Appliances (711 & 717)~ 1 Supervisory Officer

• 711 (WT, crew of 4), 717 (RDS, crew of 6)

• Additional information on turnout sheet stated:

“Possible chemicals involved”

Location of Incident

Wind Direction

On Attendance

• Met by the farmer (waiting in lane)

• IC gathers incident information

• “You stated on the call ‘possible chemicals involved’ – what and where are they?”

“Anything else?”

Building details

• “Outbuilding”

• Measured approximately 8m x 4m

• Traditional stone construction

• Timber Trusses, Corrugated Tin Roof

• Mixed Contents (tool shed / lawnmowers etc)

• Bagged Nitrates “not affected” in adjacent lean too.

Deployment of resources

• Hose reel jet used on ‘lean to’ gable end.

• 2 Breathing apparatus Stage 1, HRJ to extinguish building contents

• 6 minute lapse before arrival of 2nd appliance.

Primary role to supplement water supply from nearest hydrant located approximately 200 metres away.

Significant Points

• How did the fire start?

• Fire Extinguished…..heat retained in walls

• Breathing apparatus removed, turning over continued

• 2 Plastic containers identified during turn over phase

Significant Points

• Supervisory Officer leaves incident with Thermal Image Camera

• Incident closes, make up, return to station, off duty at approx 1830hrs

• Informed of death on Saturday afternoon

Significant Points

• Occupational Health & GP Involvement

• Brigade & Coroner Investigation commences

Significant Points

• Post Mortem & Toxicology report

• Phosgene (Mustard Gas)

MCPA

•Meta ChloroPhenyl Acetic acid

•MCPA is used as an herbicide

•Kills broad leaf plants not grasses so

used on pasture

•Still used extensively in the UK

Heating & Cooling ofMCPA

Temperature

Phosgene

CHEMDATA PUBLIC NOTE !!!!

Significant Points

• Fire Brigade’s acceptance of responsibility

• HSE prosecuted Farmer

National ProcedureChanges

• TB1/97

“Command & Control”

• Incident Command System

“Formal handover of Incidents”