Fire causes damage at Kaiser Mead

April 11, 2000

On Monday, April 2, Fire District #9 responded to a report of a structure fire at Kaiser Mead. While firefighters were in route the call was changed to a rail car on fire next to a building. Smoke and flames were visible from two blocks away.

Once the firefighters reach the main gate there was confusion with Kaiser personnel as to where the fire was and what was burning. Once that was cleared up, and firefighters reached the scene they found a Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail car well involved with fire extending into the ceiling of the metal products area of the plant.

Once the initial fire was knocked down, personnel from Kaiser removed the hot aluminum ingots, from inside the rail car with fork lifts. The interior of the box car was completely destroyed, the roof of bldg. #34, near door #11 was buckled from the heat of the fire. The metal products office which is located near the area escaped major damage, receiving a cracked window from the extreme heat of the flames.

When all was said and done five fire engines, one aerial apparatus, 10 support vehicles and 41 firefighters responded to the call that tied firefighters up for nearly three hours.

Kaiser advised firefighters that the fire was caused by personnel loading ingots into the rail car before they had a chance to cool igniting the wood covering inside the rail car.