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Brush Fire Contained Near Fertilizer Company

Tribune photo by JASON BEHNKEN

Firefighters from several departments are responding to a brush fire at U.S. 41 and Sante Fe Road that is burning near a natural gas line.

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By RAY REYES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 9, 2009

Updated: 02/09/2009 11:57 pm

Firefighters from several departments have controlled a brush fire near an ammonium nitrate and fertilizer storage company Monday night at U.S. 41 and Sante Fe Road.

Authorities were concerned the brush fire threatened several natural gas and ammonia pipelines, but have since been told by the companies' owners that the lines are inactive, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Capt. Bruce Delk said.

The fire is a couple miles north of Gibsonton and west of U.S. 41.

Chain link fences and railroad tracks initially made it difficult for fire crews to gain access to the fire, which is burning in a one square mile area near a shipping port and Kinder Morgan's storage facility, Delk said.

Kinder Morgan is an energy transportation and energy company that owns pipelines across the country. Its facility off U.S. 41 is used for storing ammonium nitrate and fertilizer, company spokeswoman Emily Thompson said.

Flames have not reached the warehouses and no Kinder Morgan property has been damaged, Thompson said.

"We're monitoring the situation very closely," Thompson said.

The brush fire has separated into three smaller blazes, Delk said. One fire is almost extinguished and crews are containing the other two, he said.

"Right now it's just a brush fire," Delk said. "We're making good headway."

A building used to store salt is the only structure close to the blaze, Delk said. Firefighters are stationed at that building, located west of the brush fires, in case the flames jump the railroad tracks and go toward the structure.

Several fuel tanks are also in the area, but are "nowhere near where the fire is," Delk said.

The first call about the fire came in at about 9 p.m., when crews witnessed a line of flames at least 2,000 feet long moving northwest through the area. At 11 p.m., Delk said the fire was under control.

Delk said no homes are threatened. At least 20 acres burned. No one was hurt.

CSX has been notified of the fire. Eighteen units and 54 firefighters responded to the scene. There are no hydrants in the area and crews used water-tender trucks, Delk said.

A Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office helicopter provided aerial support for crews on the ground. Some natural firebreaks — the railroad tracks, in particular — helped in containing the blaze, Delk said.

Hartford Street was closed near 50th Street as crews battled the blaze.

Delk said fire crews concentrated on controlling the fire tonight and will spend more time in the morning trying to determine the cause of the blaze.

Tribune photographer Jason Behnken and Editor Todd Pratt contributed to this report. Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 259-7920

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