Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
A CAT 325 Excavator caught fire at the construction site for the new Dollar General store, at the intersection of Lake Road and Highway 19 North, on Tuesday, Feb. 22, according the Jefferson County Fire Rescue (JCFR) to report. The alarm sounded at 10:56 a.m., indicating that a piece of heavy machinery was on fire, and JCFR Engine-1, Tanker-1, Rescue 36 and vehicle 101 (Fire Chief) responded. When Engine-1 arrived on the scene at 10:59 a.m., the CAT 325 was found with heavy fire coming from the engine compartment and the interior of the cab, the report states.
Engine-1 deployed two 1-3/4 handlines, and the fire was extinguished without incident by 11:10 a.m. The fire was contained to the area of origin – the engine, running gear and wheel area – and did not spread to any other equipment or property, according to the report.
There were no casualties. The operator of the machine told JCFR that he was working when he heard and felt a pop behind his back in the engine compartment. Then he started seeing smoke. The operator exited the machine and moved to a safe area, according to the report.
After the fire was extinguished, JCFR took salvage and overhaul actions. Salvage action involves protecting property and belongings from damage. Overhaul action involves searching a fire scene to detect hidden fires or smoldering areas. The scene was determined by JCFR to be safe with no hazards present. JCFR personnel gathered information for the incident report, and all JCFR units returned to service, clearing the scene by 11:35 a.m.
JCFR's report further indicates that the cause of ignition was unintentional, with no human factors contributing to ignition. While the area of fire origin was determined to be the engine, running gear and wheel area, the specific heat source and which item first ignited were undetermined. The report includes an estimated property loss of $30,000 and estimated contents loss of $10,000.
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