A burning gas tank. Exploding ammunition. Habersham County firefighters faced those hazards last night as they battled a blaze at a storage building west of Clarkesville.
Emergency services director Chad Black says the fire on Saddlebrook Lane off of Sam Bell Road was reported to 911 at 9:41 p.m. Thursday. Units arrived at 9:49 p.m. and found the 1,000 square foot wood structure heavily involved in flames.
The heat of the fire caused gas from a nearby LP Tank to vent from the pressure valve, says Black. The escaping gas was burning. In addition, ammunition stored in the building was going off, increasing the danger to firefighters.
“Initial tactics were to cool the tank and extinguish the fire coming from the tank due to (the) structure was already almost 100% involved,” Black says. “Once the tank was cooled, fire extinguished and personnel able to secure the cut off to the tank, personnel focused on extinguishing the remaining fire of the original structure.”
Multiple units from Habersham County Battalion 1, Captain 1, Engines 13, 16, Tankers 11 and 13, and Medic 16 responded, along with the Lee Arrendale Fire Department and Habersham County Sheriff’s Office.
Crews remained on the scene for four hours. No injuries were reported.
Fire investigators are still working to determine the cause.
