HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016 06-01 Manic Monday for the Maplewood Fire Department MAPLEWOOD REVIEW I %V A/9640004/22v74--W
+.vta.1,DV&Manic Monday for the Maplewood Fire Department
Maplewood received an Cities Scan twitter feed,the first noted that the smoke was com- termined and still under Dust explosion
call came in around 7:30 a.m., ing from one unit,and when investigation. Shortly after returning from.
unusually high volume the second just after 9 a.m.and they entered they found a fire in He did note that all of the the first fire call,the department
of fire calls May 23 the third around 10 a.m. the kitchen area.The sole resi- residents of the Silver Ridge received another call.This time
dent of the unit was at work at complex were able to go back it was for an apparent explosion
Aundrea Kinney Kitchen fire the time of the blaze,but fire- to their apartments within at Forest Products Supply,2650
Review staff According to fire chief Steve fighters found and rescued his an hour except for the man Highway 61 in Maplewood.
Lukin,the first call was a report dog. whose kitchen caught fire. The company makes cabi-
With three large fires in less of thick black smoke filling up Lukin said the blaze was Lukin said that he unfortu- nets, countertops and other
than three hours,the Maplewood the hallways of the Silver Ridge extinguished in 10 to 15 nately had to find somewhere wood products.The woodwork-
Fire Department was hopping on Apartments, 2330 Stillwater minutes. Although the fire else to stay until repairs are ing equipment creates a lot
hot coals Monday,May 23. Ave.E. started in the kitchen, Lukin made.
According to the NE Twin The first firefighters on scene said the exact cause is unde- see Fires on page 3
transported immediately to Regions "It doesn't happen all the time,
Fires... Hospital," Lukin said.He added but it's not uncommon,"Lukin said.
that he later found out that the The NE Twin Cities Scan twit-
continued from page 1 man's burns were not life threaten- ter feed claimed the contents of the
ing. oven were not hazardous and were
of sawdust which is transported The fire department had the determined to be paraffin wax and
through a dust collection system flames controlled in 15 to 20 min- aluminum foil.Lukin added that the
that runs through the building and utes,according to Lukin,but it took fire was contained inside the oven.
out through a dust collector unit 40 to 45 minutes to completely Lukin explained that while it is
into a dumpster outside the build- extinguish them. common to have this many calls
ing. Forest Products Supply is cur- when they are both fire and medical-
According to Lukin,the dumpster rently closed. According to an related emergencies,itis uncommon
was getting full and the dust col- employee,the business will remain to have this many back-to-back fires
lection unit heated up."That dust closed until they purchase new that require large numbers of fire-
is very flammable....When it's in machinery,which he expects to take fighters.In addition to the three seri-
a tight container [with heat] and a couple of weeks. ous fire calls,the department also
there is not enough oxygen,it just had several medical calls that day.
smolders." Commercial furnace fire "It gets kind of hectic,"Lukin
Lukin explained that when a male While the Maplewood Fire said, adding, "We always like to
employee opened up doors to the Department was still fighting the thank those who helped us out."
dust collector,it provided enough flames at Forest Products Supply, The Maplewood Fire Department
oxygen to create a flashover inside it received another call for another had assistance with the Silver Ridge
the unit.The flames licked outside commercial fire.This one was in a Apartment fire from the Oakdale
the dust collector doors and burned 3M building ar 2501 Hudson Road. and North St.Paul fire departments.
the workman. He reportedly tried Because the Maplewood depart- They had assistance with the For-
to extinguish the fire with an extin- ment was still occupied with the est Products Supply fire from the
guisher, and the fire department Forest Products blaze,the St.Paul Oakdale,North St.Paul and Little
was summoned. Fire Department was called in to Canada fire departments,and the
Lukin explained that when the respond to the 3M fire. St.Paul Fire Department handled
flashover occurred there was a Lukin explained that 3M the fire at the 3M complex.
loud bang,and the event could be researchers do product testing
described as a"dust explosion." in large furnaces that could be Aundrea Kinney can be reached at
"[The injured employee]had first- described as ovens.In this instance 651-748-7822 or akinney@lil-
and second-degree burns and was the product in the oven ignited. lienews.com.