Propane Tank Blast Kills 2 Firefighters
A flaming propane tank exploded at a turkey farm, killing two volunteer firefighters and injuring six others and a deputy sheriff.
The explosion happened Thursday night after authorities responded to a fire call at the Herrig Brothers turkey farm.
The tank held 18,000 gallons of propane, and the explosion destroyed or heavily damaged four barns, said Buena Vista County Sheriff Charles Eddy. It was unclear what started the fire.
Jon Westergaard, former fire chief in nearby Newell, said firefighters told him they thought it was safe to approach the tank because flames were shooting from a safety valve at the top.
“That’s what they teach you in fire school, the valve relieves pressure and prevents an explosion,” Westergaard said. “When they saw fire coming out of the bottom, they turned and walked away and that’s the last any of them remember.”
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