Hazmat Called out for NC Building Explosion

Hazmat teams were on scene when a vehicle struck a building, setting off a natural gas explosion and fire.

FirefighterCloseCalls reports that Wilmington, N.C. police arrested a man in connection to the August 19 gas explosion. He has been charged with DWI-felony serious injury, possession of drug paraphernalia, hit and run/leave scene, reckless driving, and failure to maintain lane.

The driver is 46-year-old Jason Lee Beach. Police say Beach was “huffing” an inhalant that impaired his ability to drive. Police did not identify what chemical he is accused of using.

Beach’s car hit the Eastern Carolina Veterinary Referral building at 5051 New Centre Drive and ruptured a gas line at around 1130 hours. The driver was turning when he went off the road and hit the gas line to the building. The driver left the scene but was quickly located and taken into custody.

WECT reports that five WFD firefighters were injured while operating at the incident, with one of those firefighters suffered severe burns on his hands. Four of the firefighters who received treatment at a medical center were released.

The fifth firefighter suffered severe second- and third-degree burns to his hands and arms. WFD states he was transferred to the UNC Burn Center in Chapel Hill, where he underwent surgery.

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The crew was operating on the second floor of the veterinary clinic when the explosion occurred.

“With them all being on the second floor, they had to get out of the second-floor windows. If you’ve had a chance to show the actual pictures themselves, the entire thing exploded, and so when they came out of that second floor, that’s when some of the shoulder injuries and the knee injuries and sprains that took place,” D.C. Mickler, WFD chief of operations, said.

During a news conference, WFD Fire Chief J. Steve Mason said the vehicle hit the building and a 2-inch gas line. That ruptured line filled the building with natural gas. The crash damaged the regulator that dropped the natural gas pressure from that at the line to what would be needed in the building. The high pressure, 60 psi gas, also fueled the subsequent fire.

Chief Mason said crews were actively monitoring for explosive limit levels inside the building. Crews experienced elevated levels, radioed that back to command and began to evacuate. The explosion happened before they could get out.

“Unbeknownst to our guys, that building was filling up with gas very quickly,” Chief Mason said. The situation, he said, changed rapidly.

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WFD’s hazmat team worked with the gas utility company to get the gas line shut down.

The building, which was nearing completion of a renovation, had three 120-gallon oxygen tanks inside on the second floor, close to where the gas leak took place. The oxygen tank hoses burned off and accelerated the fire growth.

“The Wilmington Fire Department is grateful for the community’s outpouring of support following yesterday’s incident; it means the world to us,” WFD stated. “Please continue to keep these brave firefighters in your thoughts and prayers as they continue their recovery.”