BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Fire Department is still investigating the cause of a Saturday afternoon two-alarm blaze at Metalico metal scrap yard on Fillmore Avenue.
There were no injuries reported from the fire. While it is not believed to be suspicious, the blaze caused $2 Million in damage and it was difficult for firefighters to handle.
However, two suburban volunteer fire departments and a local company pitched in to help Buffalo Fire eventually control and put out the fire.
A towering plume of thick black smoke was visible for miles on Saturday afternoon as there were intense flames in this hard-to-control fire at the Metalico metal scrapyard.
Buffalo Fire Commissioner William Renaldo says there were residual flammable liquids in the tanks of the scrapped vehicles, lawnmowers, and snowblowers. "The height of the pile was like 20-30, feet high. All these remnants of lubricants, gasoline, oil things of that nature. Some oxidation is taking place under that pile. It was a deep-seated fire. It had burned underneath the fire."
No toxic fumes were detected with testing but there was concern about nearby homes and residents so they wanted to attack it quickly. Buffalo Police used a drone to direct hose water streams to hot spots in the pile.
But those streaming gallons of water were not enough. The state and Erie County called in the Scranton Volunteer Fire Department of Hamburg with their two dispensing trailers that can upload up to 300 gallons at a time of a biodegradable substance called f - 500.
It is made by Hazard Control Technologies for use in various types of difficult fires including vehicle fires. The substance was mixed in with the water sprayed by BFD tower trucks.
Mark Rabent, who is a sales representative with the Buffalo-based Dival Safety & Supplies firm points out it is not the firefighting foam with the forever PFA carcinogen concerns but the HFC manufacturer says F-500 does have "the ability to absorb 6 - 10 times more heat than plain water without the creation of superheated steam." It adds that it forms "chemical cocoons" that actually encapsulate fuels and that there is a "drastic reduction in toxins, greater visibility, and reduced smoke and soot."
Rabent says "F- 500 is a water additive that works very well with three-dimensional fires, so unlike conventional foam which you hear about a lot, foam you have to form a blanket over the product or fuel to put it out. F - 500 attacks hydrocarbons."
He adds "It attaches itself to the fire and extinguishes it and also cools."
But with a limited quantity, there was a series of calls to a second responder of sorts. That would be Dival Safety and Supplies which stocks F-500. Dale Lesinski, the Dival Safety and Supply Vice President says that on Saturday "Our warehouse manager immediately called a driver so our teammates all rallied to head in. It literally came off the tail of the truck and immediately went into use. (for the firefighters)."
We're also told the Bowmansville Volunteer Fire Department in Lancaster was also called to supply some of this F- 500 fire suppressant for use in Buffalo. Bowmansville VFD and Scranton VFD in Hamburg are positioned for calls to handle Thruway hazmat incidents and vehicle fire calls.