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Explosion Rocks Los Angeles Firefighters

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, FIREFIGHTERS WERE ON THE SCENE of a major industrial fire early Wednesday morning when a violent explosion occurred  in a titanium storage facility.  The fire swept through six buildings triggering more explosions as the molten exotic metals reacted with the water.  The firm manufactures titanium golf clubs, according to the LAFD spokesman.

KTLA-TV

At one point, around 1 am, a huge blast showered firefighters and engines with burning titanium, Battalion Chief Mario Rueda told the press.  “As a result of these explosions, titanium chips dispersed over the neighborhood,” Rueda said. “Large chunks of concrete impacted some of our apparatus and the concussive effect knocked out some of our (vehicle) windows.”

KABC-TV’s cameras caught the first explosion as seen in this video report:

At the peak of the fire there were 220 firefighters on the scene.  After the first explosion the fire attack was concentrated on preventing extension while the metals fires burned themselves out.  A second explosion as large as the first was triggered two hours later.

A firefighter and a captain were treated for hand burns and ringing in their ears from explosions, but were not seriously injured.  A third FF was taken to the hospital for burns on the back of his neck.

The FD officials are saying that probably the entire complex will be a total loss.

Los Angeles Times

The Associated Press has the latest report HERE.

Also on FireGeezer…

Posted by on July 14, 2010 • Filed under: explosion, fire, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , ,
  • joe bideau

    What happened to the aluminum fire trucks?

  • mofiretech1

    The hazards of titanium are well recognized in the industry and by local hazmat response agencies when thy have been advised as part of an industry response plan.

    Typical of those hazards are (which can be viewed in detail on this MSDS http://www.espi-metals.com/msds's/titanium.pdf):

    Extinguishing Media: Flammable solid in powdered form . If involved in fire, do not use water, carbon dioxide or halogenated extinguishers. Use dry chemical extinguishing agents, dry sand or dry ground dolomite. Special Fire Fighting Procedures: Fire may reignite after having been extinguished…..

    Unusual Fire and Explosion Hazards: May burn in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide, nitrogen or air….

    Precautions to Be Taken in Handling and Storage: Mixing, blending, milling or grinding of dry powder should be performed only under argon or helium. Keep powder away from open flames and other sources of ignition.

    As is the case with a number of flammable metals, the combustion temperature of titanium is high enough to disassociate extinguishing agents such as H2O, CO2, ABC and BC dry chemicals and burn the resulting released oxygen in a violent explosive reaction – see note on appropriate dry podwer agents.

  • mofiretech1

    Just noticed that the direct quote from the MSDS on titanium says to use “dry chemical” extinguishing agents, dry sand or ground dry dolomite — the correct name for agents used on metal fires is “dry powder” not “dry chemical” — we will advise the source of the MSDS on the need for this change.