The Whiteface Volunteer Fire Department had a busy night Monday with a drill and two calls on a cold, rainy night.
Fire crews dispatched, along with the Morton Volunteer Department, to a tank battery fire near TX214 and CR160 at 6:58 p.m.
Whiteface responded with a wildland interface unit manned by Firefighters James Soliz and Jason Patterson, a 3,000 gallon tanker manned by Chief Bruce Heflin and Capt. Jay Kelley and a light rescue vehicle manned by Firefighter Ryan Crutcher and Junior Firefighter Cash Crutcher.
Morton responded with a 1,000 gpm pumper, a 1,000 gallon grass truck and a 250 gpm grass truck with five firefighters under the command of Chief Luke Patterson.
Morton arrived first and began a defensive attack by cooling the uninvolved tanks. Whiteface assisted Morton upon their arrival. Chief Patterson contacted the company in charge of the battery, who dispatched a pumper.
Chiefs Patterson and Heflin conducted a 360 degree survey and discovered no flame or heat impingement on the remaining tanks and decided to conserve water until the oil supply could be shut down.
Once the company pumper arrived and shut down the flow, a handline from and bumper nozzle were used to knock down the remaining fire with water fog.
As units were departing, they were informed of a rollover south of Lehman on TX214. All units responded.
Upon arrival, units discovered a flatbed semi-trailer upside down across the highway with pipe strewn through the neighboring rest area.
Morton units checked on the driver until Cochran County EMS arrived and blocked traffic to assist Cochran County Sheriff’s deputies.
TxDOT was notified and upon the arrival of their representative, Whiteface was released while Morton stood by until TxDOT equipment could arrive.