Time: 8:30am |
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Greenville is a community of 87,000. There is a commercial airport and an Air National Guard Base located approximately 25 miles North of the community. There is an early morning release from a major pipeline running from a terminal to an airport 55-60 miles to the North. The pipeline carries primarily jet fuel, JP 8 and aviation gas. The pipeline runs along a railroad right of way, which is periodically within a 1,000 feet of a major river. The cause of the failure is unknown at this point. There are two intermediate, remotely controlled, block valves on the line. One is at mile post 16 (16 miles from the terminal) and the other is at mile post 38. The leak is in a 10 inch pipe at approximately mile post 35. The pipeline at the terminal pumps at 1200 psi. Product is moving Southwest towards a creek. This creek is usually dry, but today it has water flowing after a rain storm the night before. Upon arrival first responders report that there is already heavy flow of product on the ground, moving towards the creek. |
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Greenville Fire Department is a combination fire department with career and volunteer responders. The career department has a full complement of 65 firefighters and officers. There are three volunteer houses. Each has 20-30 members. Each volunteer can bring 3 men to the scene in one vehicle. Seven additional men will arrive in their own vehicles. The career fire department is first on scene with two engines, a ladder truck, and a chief officer. There are 10 men in total. The third volunteer company is also responding to the initial call with 3 men. There are an additional two volunteer engines and 8 men at the station, ready to respond. The total response for the community can include up to 55 men in an “all call”. Mutual Aid will bring 50 responders in 20-30 minutes and 100 additional responders within 2 hours. |
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There are 12 officers on duty at the time of the event and 5 state or county troopers in the area. The Greenville emergency plan can provide 100 additional law enforcement officers within an hour. A Greenville police officer is on the scene and three other officers are on the way. There is also a supervisor on scene to determine if more law enforcement personnel are needed. |
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