Area Fire Crews Tackle Blaze At Remote San Joaquin Test Site

EAST BAY, CA – An industrial experiment gone awry led to a structure fire that spread to nearby vegetation at a remote testing facility in San Joaquin County on Tuesday and required the assistance of some Bay Area emergency crews, fire officials reported.

The fire was reported at SRI International's Corral Hollow Experiment Site east of Livermore on Corral Hollow Road at 7:30 p.m. It was ignited by a mechanical failure in an experiment involving 5,000 gallons of
divinylbenzene, according the Alameda County Fire Department.

The fire destroyed a shipping container and a custom-made structure, as well as less than one acre of nearby vegetation, before it was extinguished by fire crews from several agencies, fire officials said.

No firefighters or SRI employees were injured in the blaze but more than 30 firefighters were evaluated for possible inhalation of divinylbenzene, a clear liquid sometimes used in the manufacture of synthetic
rubber and polyester, among other things.

There was no danger to the public, fire officials said.

The nature of the experiment was not disclosed, but SRI's website says the site hosts many different kinds of experiments for private companies and foreign and domestic governments which can include "weapons effects, evaluating hazards and safety issues, and basic science."

In addition to the Alameda County Fire Department, several other agencies responded to the fire, including the California Highway Patrol, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, Cal Fire and the Tracy Fire Department.

• Also see: Fire In Suspected Pot Grow House Under Control

--Bay City News/Image via Alameda County Fire Department