CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS : Update: Hammond incident

Friday, March 7, 2008

Update: Hammond incident - Mecca train derailment

Location: Hammond x Grant, Mecca, CA

Unified Command: CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department, California Highway Patrol, Riverside County Sheriff, Union Pacific Rail Road, Kinder-Morgan

Incident Type: Train Derailment/Hazardous Materials Spill Cause: Under Investigation

Injuries: 2 (minor)

Current Situation: CAL FIRE/ Riverside County Fire Department in conjunction with the Union Pacific Railroad have made significant progress containing the hazardous materials spill. Crews have moved all the rail cars from the pile and have cleared the derailment site. Contaminated soil from the derailment and spill site is being removed today. A train was moved along the reconstructed track this morning to test the structure of the track. The Union Pacific Railroad will provide information on the restoration of rail service.

The focus today will be to remove the remainder of the contaminated soil and to completely mitigate the hazardous materials incident. Incident Commanders are hopeful that evacuations and road closures will be revaluated later this afternoon. Safety of the public and workers remains a priority while developing a re-entry plan for all displaced residents. Residents should stay informed on the conditions and obey all road closures, evacuation orders and re-entry plans.

Road Closures: The following road closures are still in effect and are being coordinated by the California Highway Patrol and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Hwy. 111 between Johnson and Cleveland

Hammond between 66 ^th and 70 ^th Ave

Grant between National and Hammond

Evacuation Areas: Evacuations are still in effect for the area South of Hwy. 111 between Johnson and Wheeler and south to the Salton Sea.

Evacuation Center: The Red Cross Shelter is currently closed. The Union Pacific Railroad is providing lodging for displaced residents. To contact the Union Pacific Railroad for information or assistance please call 1-626-935-7641.

Source: Riverside County Fire incident page (1)

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How fires get their names

Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States. CDF - CAL FIRE Firefighters answer the call more than 300,000 times a year. CAL FIRE Firefighters make up the fire department for 30 of our 58 counties in California and more than 100 local communities. We serve as the incident command during many of California’s most serious disasters. CAL FIRE Firefighters respond to many various types and forms of calls ranging from structural fires, to auto accidents, to earthquakes, to floods, to the spilling of hazardous materials, to every conceivable disaster; CAL FIRE answer's the calls. CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States . CAL FIRE firefighters protect 33 million acres of State Responsibility Area (SRA). We have over 4,000 members within CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE is associated with the California Professional Firefighters (CPF) and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF).

CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS

Friday, March 7, 2008

Update: Hammond incident - Mecca train derailment

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