All photos by APP.com's Craig Matthews. Click image for many more pictures.
Vineland Fire Department’s Jeff Kraus was slightly hurt on Wednesday from an exploding bonfire. Investigators now say the blast that shook the area was caused by vapors from the fuel used to ignite the fire. An earlier article at APP.com described the fire preparations:
Firefighters prepared the bonfire with at least 15 gallons of diesel fuel, according to officials with Fire Company No. 5, and then later added another accelerant to the pile.
Here is the latest from DailyJournal.com:
The bonfire explosion at Vineland High School’s pep rally Wednesday is being labeled a “freak accident,” according to investigators.
The blast that ejected a flaming pile of pallets into the sky was likely caused by damp weather conditions that “compacted” vapors from fuel applied to ignite the bonfire, according to Sgt. Tim McLaughlin of the Vineland Police Department.
Seconds after the pallets were lit, there was a explosion similar to “spontaneous combustion,” said McLaughlin, explaining the orange mushroom cloud of fire and debris and the deafening boom felt miles away from the site.
It appears vapors accumulated in the bottom of a crater dug to contain the bonfire in the field between Johnstone Elementary School and VHS South, said Kenneth Tomasso, Cumberland County Prosecutor’s chief of detectives.
Instead of dissipating, the fuel fumes were held close to the ground by high humidity and the density of the air, Tomasso said. When the bonfire was lit at 6:30 p.m., a heavy fog cloaked the field.
Firefighters doused the pallets with diesel and another accelerant to get the fire going.
Diesel fuel has high sulfur content, Tomasso said, explaining the scent is similar to gunpowder, which several investigators said they could smell immediately following the blast.
Vineland fire Capt. Robert Scarpa said Wednesday night the fire department would look into the incident.
“We will complete what the fire department calls a post-incident analysis,” he said. “Any corrective action, if warranted, will be taken.”
Also on STATter911 …
- Three firefighters face possible discipline over bonfire explosion. Gasoline & diesel fuel used for pep rally in Vineland, New Jersey. – January 12, 2010
- Quick Takes – November 30, 2009
- Elderly man killed by stolen paramedic vehicle police had been trying to stop. Video & details from Vineland, New Jersey. – March 30, 2010
- New Jersey bowling alley burns. Video from Loyle Lanes fire in Vineland. – January 11, 2010
Not a freak accident…could have been started with today’s newspaper.
wow this was too much.. they don’t do bonfie=re in lausd at all.. this is probably why!!
“Seconds after the pallets were lit, there was a explosion similar to “spontaneous combustion…”” Yeah, great ‘fire science’ explanation. How about a ‘Deflagration caused by the ignition of the fuel vapors’.
“Instead of dissipating, the fuel fumes were held close to the ground by high humidity and the density of the air…” Oh, I thought that the vapor density of the fuel vapors would keep the ‘fumes’ (aren’t fumes vaporized metal?) close to the ground. I didn’t know that the lighter air was really ‘holding down’ the heavier fuel vapors.
Junior grade.
What would Forrest Gump say…
“Stupid is as stupid does…..”
How many vapors can be offgassed by diesel when it has a flashpoint of 100-145F per NFPA 1921. I wonder what this other accelerant was? Also I don’t remember diesel fuel burning with a blue flame. There is definatley something they are not telling us.
This wasn’t a freak accident, it was predictable because it happened before… I believe it was in Morrisville, Pa in the 1980s. Similar weather conditions, similar bonfire celebration, similar firefighters pouring similar fuel, exact same result. KA BOOM!
Goober strikes again.
If there is a YouTube Hall of Fame, then congratulations, Sparky; you just made it. And you can pick up your last check right over there.
Oh and sue the pallet company. They should know that highly combustible gases that are allowed to accumulate under them when ignited will thrust them towards the sky like the
Space Shuttle. Claim PTSD. Your chief “ordered” you to do it.
You followed the directions on the mixture precisely. Somebody switched cans on you. Am I getting warm? Oh; that must be you I smell burning.
A cockroach is smarter than that.
If it is predictable it is preventable.
idiots!
speechless…
wait, n o, I have to say . here’s another one for the quotes of the year:
” Chief, you want to do what with the gas and diesel?”
Chief: ” Don’t worry boys, we did this all the time in the 80′s back before the innernet, it’ll be alright, I can tell your widows and orphaned chiledren that you were brave”
“Now that’s a fire! Now that’s a fire!…….roll Charlie around, he’ll be a’ight.”
School Bonfire Explosion Injures 8 in Pennsylvania
November 29, 1985
MORRISVILLE, Pa. — A volunteer firefighter was in critical condition Thursday after he and seven other people were injured when gasoline used to start a bonfire exploded at a high school rally Wednesday, authorities said.
“Run Forrest, Run” ~~~
Stupid cannot be fixed….sadly.
Being the Thanksgiving Season that it is, I am thankful that my brothers are ok. They made a mistake. Thankfully it didn’t end with worse results. Hopefully, they learned a lesson from this accident. Probably, theres alot of 2/20′s on here and elsewhere who learned a lesson from this and it may prevent another stupid mistake.
I am your brother, these other know it alls are not your brother, nor would they know what brotherhood is if it walked up to them and slapped them in the face.
OK, back to “Dogpile on the rabbit, dogpile on the rabbit…….”
They were pallets people…..A road flare probably would have been sufficient!!!!
This reminds me of all of the live fire instructors that burn their helmets up, so they can look like they have been in a lot of fire. Here is your sign.
Some members of the Fire Service just don’t get it, totally preventable. What does 1403 say about live fire training if proper accelerants are used I think it’s like 10 0r 20 ounces,,,not gallons. Things like this are absurd and truly unproffessional.
Geez! I’ve started bigger bonfires with local hardwood from the bush with less artificial fire starter then that!
Not even half a litre of diesel will kick that puppy off! Even if they didn’t get injure/killed, I reckon Mr Darwin’s waiting in the wings with an award for them!
15 gallons of diesel fuel and then some other type of accelerant. You have got to be kidding. I’m glad no one got hurt but come on guys. Let’s learn from our mistakes. I would love to hear the video of this…something tells me that it started with someone saying ” hey guys watch this”
Unless they were using “Red” Diesel it’s not that high in Sulphur anymore. Assuming it came from the local fuel stop it’s probably ULSD.
Hey guys I like what bugs bunny said. We all make mistakes. Hopefully they learn from their mistakes. maybe someone else will learn from this expercience and the next time someone thinks about pulling this caper they will think about this. And we wont be reading about another dead firefighter.
Back in 85 we were burning down a old hunting cabin. The windows and doors had been removed and 10 gallons of Diesel distributed on the floor. A un-informed individual decided to add a few gallons of gas to get a good start. It burned the firefighter who tossed in a fusee from the front yard when it went boom! I do suspect something similiar happened here.
I have helped burn down pleanty of old buildings and diesel when applied carefully and correctly ignited usually will not blow up. If its cold and wet sometimes it’s hard to get going.
TO say that you hope they learn when will the fire service as a culture change. Many other people have paved ignitable liquids to start bon fires, training. We are no better today because “tradtion” doesn’t allow us to change. Nope stupidity we honor them as heroes when they fall and we are A ok with that. A drunk firefighter or one without a seatbelt are they a hero or hinderance.
“Think ya used enough dynamite there, Butch?”
My department starts a bonfire every year and as starting fuel we use dry straw. We never had an explosion…