TERMINAL ISLAND - A 37 year-old longshoreman was taken to the hospital on Thursday evening, June 30, 2011, after possible exposure to a substance spilled at a freight yard in the Port of Los Angeles.

Twenty-eight Los Angeles Fire Department personnel - including an LAFD Hazardous Materials Squad, under the command of Battalion Chief Raymundo Gomez, were summoned at 6:52 P.M. to the Yusen Terminal at 701 East New Dock Street on Terminal Island.

The worker, who complained of a headache and general malaise, told first-arriving LAFD Paramedics that his symptoms commenced immediately after noting a substance on the ground near a sealed 20' cargo container.

Though no evacuations were necessary, harbor-area protocol brought the interagency response of personnel from the Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Port Police, Long Beach Fire Department, U.S. Coast Guard and L.A. County Fire Department Health Hazardous Materials Division.

LAFD Hazmat experts opened the locked cargo container to find it half-filled with 55-gallon drums containing Hydrogen Peroxide. Following a methodical investigation of nearly two and a half-hours, they determined that the freight was intact, and that pint of 'resin-like' liquid seen on the ground was not associated with the suspect container and of no escalating hazard.

The ill dock worker was taken by LAFD ambulance in good condition to the Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in San Pedro for further evaluation, as a private on-site cleanup firm removed the yet-identified substance under the guidance of health officials.


Dispatched Units: E40 RA36 E48 T48 E248 SQ48 RA848 BC6 EM6 RA112

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - LAFD HazMat Responds When Dock Worker Takes Ill

On Saturday, June 11, 2011 at 10:15 PM, 11 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 4 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 2 Urban Search and Rescue Units, 1 Rehab Unit, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 5 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team and a total of 92 Firefighters, all under the direction of Battalion Chief John Duca, responded to a Greater Alarm at 9797 North Glenoaks Boulevard in Sun Valley.

Even against the dark, night sky, a large plume of smoke could be seen enroute to the incident, indicating Firefighters were going to be engaged in a significant battle. First arriving companies confirmed a large outside fire at an auto salvage yard (DBA: Elite Auto). After making swift entry onto the property, Firefighters encountered additional concerns of not only downed power-lines, but also combustible metals, both of which present extreme hazards to personnel because of their volatility.

The command decision was quickly made to deploy large hose streams from both the ground and from aerial ladders in an effort to extinguish the stubborn blaze and to protect the adjacent occupancies from further damage. This large, outside fire burned so fiercely that two structures on the adjacent property (DBA: Elite Auto) sustained moderate damage.

Due to the strategic efforts of the command teams and an aggressive, sustained fire attack by nearly 100 Firefighters, the troops quickly gained the upper hand. The skillful firefight continued and the well-coordinated attack resulted in a knockdown in just over an hour.

The cause of the fire and its origin are under active investigation and the dollar loss is still being tabulated. There were no injuries.

Submitted by Matt Spence

Spokesman Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Greater Alarm Fire in Sun Valley Quickly Neutralized

On Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 8:01 PM, 10 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 3 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 3 Urban Search and Rescue Units, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 4 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 85 Firefighters all under the direction of Battalion Chief Stephen Ruda responded to a Greater Alarm Structure Fire at 7705 Densmore Avenue in West Van Nuys.

The first arriving Firefighters found a 100' x 100' one-story Commercial building with one unit well involved in flames. An assertive Fire Attack was initiated as flames began burning through the roof. Upon his arrival Chief Ruda performed a rapid size-up and determined that additional Firefighters would be needed to battle the intense blaze.

As hand lines were aggressively deployed in an interior attack, a Strip Ventilation technique was performed by roof division companies with chain saws to release hot gases and smoke. With a well coordinated and swift attack, Firefighters began to get a handle on the blaze. Their relentless effort and teamwork contained the flames to only one unit.

A knockdown was obtained in 27 minutes before anyone was injured. The cause of the evening fire was determined accidental and started via spontaneous combustion from oily rags left in a plastic trash container. The Dollar loss is estimated at $100,000 ($50,000 structure and $50,000 contents).

Submitted by Cecil Manresa & Erik Scott, Spokesmen
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Firefighters Battle Commercial Building Fire in West Van Nuys

On Saturday, October 23, 2010 at 4:15 PM, 5 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 7 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 2 Fireboats, 1 Rehab Unit, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 1 Battalion Chief Officer Command Team and 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 50 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel under the direction of Battalion Chief Michael Thomas, responded to a Hazardous Materials Investigation at Berth 303 on Terminal Island in the Port of Los Angeles.

Firefighters arrived quickly to investigate an odor aboard the recently docked APL Sweden, a 909-foot long cargo ship of Liberian registry.

The seven crew members and other dock workers were swiftly evacuated upwind from the fully loaded vessel, as a safety perimeter and the Joint Command of LAFD, U.S. Coast Guard, Port Police and Homeland Security officials was established.

The odor, first believed to be associated with a gallon or more of liquid discovered near a shipping container, was instead determined by LAFD Hazardous Materials experts to be emanating from a pair of twenty-foot cargo containers nearby.

Nearly two hours into the incident, eight earlier evacuated port workers complaining of respiratory irritation and nausea joined their colleague who had first noted the odor, in being assessed by LAFD Paramedics. Three of these nine men, all described as in good condition, were ultimately taken to area hospitals via LAFD Ambulance for a more thorough medical evaluation.

With the assistance of longshoremen operating a dockside crane, the twin cargo containers loaded with Xylenol were skilfully wrapped in impervious sheeting in a diaper-like fashion, before being loaded onto a trailer under the watchful eye of responders.

Great care was taken by Los Angeles Fire Department personnel to assure that no product leaked into harbor waterways or created an escalating hazard.

The containers were gingerly transported to a remote section of the port, where a privately-contracted hazardous material management firm was to handle the matter to conclusion under the observation of the Health Hazardous Materials Division of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Three Workers Sickened by Fumes in Port of Los Angeles

On Monday, July 5, 2010 at 12:52 PM, 1 Company of Los Angeles Firefighters, 1 LAFD Rescue Ambulance, 1 Arson Unit, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 1 Battalion Chief Officer Command Team and 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 13 Los Angeles Firefighters under the direction of Assistant Chief Craig Fry, responded to a Firework Injury near 1031 North Sanford Avenue in Wilmington.

Summoned by uniformed Los Angeles Police Officers at the scene, Los Angeles Firefighters arrived quickly to find a 15 year-old male with critical facial burn injury.

According to witnesses, the boy had been scavenging flammable powder from discarded and unused personal fireworks, adding the volatile mixture to the remnants of a so-called "safe and sane" ground display.

While reportedly attempting to ignite the homemade firework, intense flames suddenly enveloped the boy's entire face, causing deep and painful second-degree burns and severely damaging his eyes.

The injured teen was transported in critical condition by LAFD Paramedics to St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach for emergency trauma care, after which he was transferred by private ambulance to a regional burn center.

No other injuries were reported.

It is important to note that the possession or personal use of any firework has been outlawed in Los Angeles since World War II.

Given the unstable nature of personal use fireworks and that items involved may have been altered to even greater instability, Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department Bomb Squad methodically managed the scene and assisted in key stages of the investigation.

This incident remains under a joint and active investigation by Los Angeles Fire Department Arson/Counter-Terrorism Investigators and Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department's Criminal Conspiracy Section.


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Wilmington Teen Sustains Critical Firework Injury

On Saturday, June 5, 2010 at 11:34 AM, 41 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 12 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 6 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, 2 Foam Tender, 2 Dozer Tenders, 2 Loaders, 2 Transports, 2 Emergency Lighting Units under the direction of
Assistant Chief Mark Stormes responded to a Major Emergency Fire at 1903 N. Blinn Av. in Wilmington / Harbor City.

Firefighters arrived to find a huge black column of smoke rising straight in the air from a very large complex. Further assessment revealed an outside fire which had extended throughout a 25' by 100' pile of scrap metal. The Incident Commander quickly called for additional resources to the facility doing business as a Pick-Your-Part Auto Yard. Ladder pipes, wagon batteries, and portable monitors, capable of delivering copious amounts of water were placed in operation to attack the bulk of the flames.

Even with personnel on hand, water and equipment, the fire grew in intensity due to the increasingly difficult task of reaching the seat of the fire. The pile, being the size of a football field, spread fast as more resources were soon dispatched to the incident to continue the fight. Firefighters were leading a fierce attack on the flames, when two tanks housing gas and oil were reported to be in the path of the fire. Crews were able to prevent them from catching fire.

With a swift and well-coordinated transition, firefighters went into "defensive tactics" utilizing all available heavy stream appliances and master streams appliances at the scene. Class A foam was introduced to protect all sides of the incident, with even more resources added to the fight. Crews raced to surround the flames, as the water supply in the area was quickly reaching maximum levels.

After several hours, the difficult fire continued to burn, causing great concern for nearby residence that had to endure large amounts of smoke. Fire crews worked tirelessly but vigorously to achieve a knockdown, which wouldn't come till the following day. Additional bulldozers were requested to dismantled the pile and finally reach the seat of the fire.

Over 250 LAFD personnel (at the peak of the incident) extinguished the stubborn blaze in 32 hours & 10 minutes. 50 firefighters remained on scene throughout the night, into the third day to prevent rekindling and to ensure safety. A total of 425 firefighters were actively involved in this incident lasting nearly two full days.

Happily only 1 civilian & 1 firefighter suffered non-life threatening injuries on 6-05, both were treated and expected to fully recover. No structures were directly damaged as a result of the event. The cause of the blaze is listed as accidental and estimated dollar loss are still yet to be determined.

Submitted by Devin Gales,Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - LAFD Battles Large Fire In Scrap Yard

On Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 2:14 PM, 4 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 3 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 2 Hazardous Materials Teams, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 3 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams and 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 43 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel under the direction of Assistant Chief Craig Fry, responded to a Hazardous Material Investigation near 920 West Harry Bridges Boulevard in Port of Los Angeles near Wilmington.

Responding to a request from the United States Coast Guard, Los Angeles Firefighters arrived quickly to find a twenty-foot shipping container sitting remotely at the 170 acre harborside TraPac terminal.

According to Coast Guard officials, an employee of their agency became nauseous at approximately 10:30 AM, after encountering fumes during a routine cargo inspection.

The employee was taken to an area hospital long prior to the arrival of Los Angeles Fire Department personnel, and soon thereafter was released from medical care.

First arriving firefighters established a joint command post with USCG upwind from the container of mixed cargo. LAFD Hazmat experts clad in protective gear then swiftly gained access within the steel shipping container to find pallets of 1 gallon containers shrink-wrapped in plastic.

A decontamination and treatment zone was established, but neither of these precautions or evacuations were deemed necessary.

In a laborious process, the LAFD Hazmat team ultimately discovered a 1 gallon vessel which had leaked an unknown quantity of a "base chemical" used in the production of cosmetics. An analysis of the site identified no escalating hazard or need for evacuation.

Pursuant of protocol, the scene was returned to the control of terminal officials and responders from the Health Hazardous Materials Division of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - LAFD and Coast Guard Handle Dockside Hazmat in Wilmington

On Sunday, October 11, 2009 at 4:16 PM, 14 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 3 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 3 Helicopters, 4 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, 1 Rehab Air Tender, 1 Park Ranger Water Tender and 1 Helicopter along with 2 Hand Crews from Los Angeles County Fire Department under the direction of Battalion Chief Brian Cummings responded to a Major Emergency Brush Fire at 1202 West Anaheim Street in Harbor City.

Light Force 85 arrived and found two acres of light to medium brush burning in Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park, just North of Anaheim Street and West of Vermont Avenue. Wind at approximately eight mph pushed the flames Eastward along the South side of Los Angeles Harbor College, toward the 110 freeway.

Firefighters quickly deployed hand lines trying to anchor the fire along the West flank and work their way North. In addition to the challenge of hilly and at-times unstable terrain, firefighters also had to overcome difficult water access. Water Shuttle Operations were established by strategically placing Fire Engines along Anaheim Street, moving water from the fire hydrants to the firefighters on the hills.

Meanwhile a Heli-Spot was established at The Navy Fuel Depot for water-dropping helicopters to battle the blaze from the air and provide aerial reconnaissance. Heavy smoke and flames continued to travel toward the 110 Freeway thus the Southbound lanes were closed as a precautionary.

Due to the aggressive attack from 92 firefighters, a knockdown was obtained in one hour and 49 minutes at 6:05 PM. Firefighters also received a little help from Mother Nature who kept the Relative Humidity around 60, assisting in holding the blaze to just 20 acres. Hand lines were stretched around the entire perimeter of the burned area and firefighters remained on scene over night to ensure any hot spots would not pose a threat. No structures were damaged and no injuries were reported. The cause is still under investigation.

Submitted by Erik Scott
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Major Emergency Brush Fire Scorches 20 Acres

On Friday, September 25, 2009 at 5:04 AM, 29 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 9 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 2 Urban Search and Rescue Units, 1 Rehab Unit, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 4 EMS Battalion Captains, 9 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, and 3 Foam Tenders under the direction of Assistant Chief Robert Franco responded to a Refinery Fire at 2101 East Pacific Coast Highway in the Wilmington area.

Light Force and Rescue Ambulance 38 arrived to find a large black column of smoke rising straight in the air from the Tesoro Refinery. This refinery produces 97,000 barrels of crude oil a day and is located only 23 miles from downtown Los Angeles.

As additional firefighters arrived, heavy hose streams were initiated. Task Force Commanders used ladder pipe operations which are capable of delivering 1000 GPM depending on the type of the tip used. Portable monitors, which are heavy stream appliances used in a similar manner as wagon batteries and ladder pipes were also put into operation to supply a significant amount of water on the fire quickly.

Lynn Westfall, SVP of External Affairs and Chief Economist of Tesoro stated, “The fire broke out in the coking unit at Tesoro's Wilmington refinery. The cause is under investigation and the amount of damage to the affected unit is unknown at this time. The plant is still operational but at a reduced capacity".

Two Hundred One Los Angeles firefighters along with 35 Tesoro Fire Brigade firefighters were able to obtain a knockdown in three hours and 39 minutes at 8:43 am.

No injuries were reported, although citizens in a one mile radius were briefly encouraged to remain indoors.



Submitted by Erik Scott
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - LAFD Battles Fire at Tesoro Oil Refinery

On Saturday, May 2, 2009 at 7:17 AM, 7 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 4 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 1 Rehab Unit, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 2 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team and a Building and Safety Inspector, under the direction of Battalion Chief Robert Willcox, responded to a Structure Fire at 251 W. 11th Street in the San Pedro/Ports O' Call area.

Firefighters responded to a reported structure fire in a 2 story four-plex occupancy. As Firefighters arrived on scene, they found 1 unit on the first floor fully involved in fire. Firefighters made an immense effort deploying handlines on the intensely burning fire. The 1919 constructed four-plex, was illegally converted into several small living quarters for the inhabitants of the occupancy.

The compartmentalization of the residence and the older balloon construction contributed to the rapid spread of the fire to the a second floor unit and the attic, challenging Firefighters. The ventilation team worked energetically, cutting several heat holes to gain control of the fire.

It took 58 Firefighters 33 minutes to knockdown the fire. A Building and Safety Inspector was notified and the occupancy was "red tagged." One male resident, 51, was transported in stable condition with smoke inhalation. One Firefighter was also slightly injured with minor burns. Both men were transported to area hospitals. The cause of the early morning blaze was determined to be electrical. The dollar loss was estimated at $225,000 [$200,000 structure, $25,000 contents]. The Red Cross assisted 11 adults and 1 teen who were displaced with alternative housing.

Submitted by d'Lisa Davies on behalf of Melissa Kelley
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Fire in San Pedro Four-plex Displaces 12