Truck Fire Involving Hazardous Materials At Gas Station Contained By Firefighters: Stamford FD

STAMFORD, CT — Stamford firefighters safely contained a pickup truck that caught fire at a gas station and contained hazardous materials last Friday, according to the Stamford Fire Department.

At approximately 10:38 a.m. on April 24, Stamford firefighters responded to a report of a truck fire at a gas station in the 240 block of West Avenue, the SFD said in a news release.

Upon arrival, firefighters found a contractor's pickup truck with a fire in the rear bed that had been extinguished.

The driver of the truck was able to exit the vehicle safely, and no injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported. As a precaution, nearby residents were advised to remain clear of the area while operations were underway.

Further investigation found that the fire involved two acetylene cylinders, which were leaking gas, the SFD said, noting several additional propane and nitrogen cylinders were stored in the truck's bed.

Additional resources were requested for traffic and scene perimeter control from the Stamford Police Department and the Connecticut State Police. Stamford Emergency Medical Services provided an ambulance for standby at the scene.

Due to the volatile nature of acetylene gas, firefighters quickly established a safe perimeter and developed a plan to secure the damaged acetylene cylinders, the SFD said.

Firefighters used the contractor's truck to relocate the damaged cylinders to a nearby city park off Brown House Road, where they safely discharged the remaining highly flammable acetylene gas from the cylinders.

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) officers were also at the scene to assist and oversee the operation.

The incident was brought under control in approximately 30 minutes, according to the SFD.

"This was a potentially dangerous situation in a very busy and congested intersection within the City of Stamford," Deputy Fire Chief Matthew Palmer said. "Thanks to the quick actions of our firefighters with assistance from our partner agencies, the incident was brought under control safely and without any injuries."

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Stamford Fire Marshal’s Office.

SFD officials are reminding residents and contractors to exercise extreme caution when transporting compressed gas cylinders and to follow all manufacturer and safety guidelines.