At approximately 0900 hours on 12 June 2006, a lighting strike ignited the contents of a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulated enclosed breakout tank (Tank 373) containing 123,000 barrels of unleaded gasoline. The breakout tank is owned by Explorer Pipeline, the potential responsible party (PRP), and is located near the intersection of U.S. Highway 75 and 126th Street in Glenpool, Tulsa County, Oklahoma. The National Response Center (NRC# 800352) notified U.S. Environmental Protection Agency- Response and Prevention Branch (EPA-RPB) about the incident at 0949 hours on 12 June 2006. According to the PRP, the unleaded gasoline is retained within the fire-affected, breakout tank, which is situated in a bermed (233,000 barrel capacity secondary containment) breakout battery. The associated pipeline and nearby power lines have been deactivated.
PRP-led emergency response personnel (Explorer and Sunoco emergency response teams) and Glenpool, Jenks, Bixby, and Tulsa Fire Departments responded to the incident to conduct cooling operations on adjacent tanks while simultaneously draining Tank 373. DOT and State of Oklahoma regulatory officials, local law enforcement, and media representatives also mobilized to the incident scene. EPA arrived at the incident location at 1430 hours.
Local officials ordered an evacuation of residences on 126th , in close proximity to the fire. Additional residents within 1-mile of the facility have been ordered to shelter-in-place. No injuries have been reported. An ecologically sensitive area is located approximately 1.25 miles southeast of the facility. Winds were blowing from the south at 9 miles per hour (mph) at the time of the incident. Winds have been variable in speed and direction.
PRP-led emergency response personnel have drained 87,000 barrels of gasoline from Tank 373. The tank currently retains 29,500 barrels for vapor gap. Williams firefighting personnel are enroute to continue operations. The PRP placed boom in an area stream, in case of spill and product migration. No gasoline has been released into waterways or beyond Tank 373 and secondary containment.
EPA arrived on location at 1430 hours and integrated into unified command. EPA representatives arrived with air monitoring capabilities arrived at 1505 hours. EPA and EPA representatives began perimeter air monitoring of residential neighborhoods at 1600 hours. Preliminary air monitoring results indicate that no concentrations of hazardous chemicals have been detected above background levels in residential areas downwind of the facility.
EPA will maintain continuous air monitoring. PRP-led contractors will begin application of foam and water to Tank 373.
PRP-led personnel will monitor structural integrity of the breakout tank and continue to cool adjacent tanks by applying water. Evacuation and shelter-in-place order has not been lifted.
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