Propane Truck Fire Blocks Highway for Hours

Propane Truck Fire Blocks Highway for Hours

A runaway tractor-trailer truck, containing 4,300 gallons of propane, was deliberately ditched by the driver, Jerome Gilboy, of Passaic, N. J. The crash wrecked the tractor part of the combination, which was completely destroyed by fire resulting from ignition of gasoline in the tank of the truck-tractor. The heat from the burning gasoline raised the pressure inside the LP trailer and the safety valves opened, releasing gas, which immediately caught fire and burned with a spectacular blow torch type flame to a height of 75 ft. As the pressure was reduced, the safety valves would close and flames would die down. The action was repeated over and over for 3 1/2 hours, or until the tanks were cooled to a point where LP gas pressure was below the safety margin.

The original alarm was answered by three trucks of the Port Jervis F.Eh, a pumper and a tanker from the Greenville Township F.D. and the pumper of the Mt. Hose Company. On the first response, no effort was made to extinguish the fire, due to possibility of explosion and shortage of water in the area. There was no serious exposures, although a section of forest was burned, the concrete of the roadway was crumbled away and a telephone cable was scorched. All the original trucks returned to quarters by noon leaving only N. Y. State Police at the scene.