Show REPORT ON MIDWEST FIRES the mountain states inspection bureau hs has issued a report on the midwest ref co fires at casper wyoming in june and july of this year in the fire of june 1718 17 18 one and six barrel tanks were involved oil destroyed amounted to barrels value of tanks destroyed was and the oil at an average cost of was no insurance was carried and the tanks were entirely without protection or safeguards against fire or lightning the company had previously contracted for a ho amite system with which all the tanks were to be equipped but work was suspended after a part of the system had been installed the tanks were by a single lightning discharge the second fire was on july 2 when lightning ignited a barrel tank containing barrels of crude naptha the tank was equipped with system and the fire was practically extinguished 20 minutes after mixing chambers began operation total loss approximately the third fire was on july 12 when an barrel tank was ignited by a direct stroke of lightning the company salvaged barrels by pumping when oil pumps were shut down water was injected into the tank with the idea of forming steam upper rings of the tank were white hot and intense heat set fire to sage brush feet away violent boiling followed injection of water and flames shot hundreds of feet into the air the fourth fire was on july 18 when one and one barrel tanks were igniter by lightning the barrel tank had barrels left in it when fire was extinguished and barrels had been pumped out tank can be cut down and saved for a barrel capacity the barrel tank was still burning when the report was made |