NATIONAL RESPONSE TEAM

Of The National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan

G-OPF 2100 2nd St. S.W., Washington, DC 20593-0001

Storage Tank Fire

Occurrence Date:

11 August, 2002

Location:

Port a la Heche, LA
NRC Report Number:   619582 /619593

Source:

3 Crude Oil Storage Tanks

Material:

Crude Oil

Severity:

Medium

Quantity Discharged:

10,800 Gallons

Quantity in Water:

10,800 Gallons

Body of Water Affected:

Grand Bayou

Federal On-Scene Coordinator:

USCG 
Description:

On August 11, 2002 at 1933 the National Response Center received a report from E.S.& H. Consulting Services, calling on behalf of Forest Oil Corporation, concerning a release of crude oil from a storage tank due to a lightning strike. The report indicated that the incident occurred August 11, 2002 at 1730 local time. At the time of the report there was no estimate of the amount of material released but the potential release was listed as 660 barrels of crude oil. The lightning strike caused the storage tank to ignite and the fire had not been extinguished by the time the original report was made. On August 11, 2002 at 2313 an updated report was received from USCG District 8 Command Center which indicated that 2 of the 3 storage tanks involved in the incident ruptured and released their contents in to the Grand Bayou. There were 3 fireboats on scene, which extinguished the fire on the water. The first storage tank released all 10,800 gallons of it's contents, the second storage tank was cracked and ruptured an unknown quantity, and the third storage tank remained intact. It was reported that most of the crude oil spilled in to the bayou had been burned off. USCG is the FOSC and is coordinating the pollution response.