Petroleum Oil and Lubricant (POL) Tank Fire

• At no time will fire attacks be conducted from downhill or down wind positions.

• Assess the tank’s structural condition to ensure no immediate danger of shell collapse or failure is present.

• Maintain the structural integrity of the tank shell with cooling agents.

• Extinguish ground fires and three-dimensional fires first.

• Isolate hazards if possible and determine available resources.  Use dry-chemical followed by foam “securing” streams to extinguish three-dimensional fires.  Solely applying foam to a manifold fire usually is not effective.

• If not available, protect exposures by applying cooling streams above product line and consider transfer of product.

• Once the fire is extinguished ensure the source of the fuel is shutoff.

• Control the flow of the fuel by damming, diking or diverting.

April 2001