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Duchesne County officials review emergency response after large oil-field tank fire; no major injuries reported
Summary
County and mutual-aid crews fought an oil‑field tank fire for about 13 hours Friday. Fire officials reported no major injuries, about $500,000 in product loss and plans to replenish foam supplies while the incident remains under investigation.
Commissioners heard an update on a major oil‑field tank fire that required a multiagency response and burned for roughly 13 hours on Friday, Jan. 3, county emergency staff said at the Duchesne County Commission meeting on Jan. 6.
The fire response carried implications for public safety and county preparedness. The fire department representative said the blaze produced substantial product loss, highlighted gaps in foam supplies and prompted plans to order more foam and review equipment and response coordination.
Josh, a fire department representative, told commissioners the incident at a Javelin (spelled variously in reports) lease was still under investigation by state and company investigators. “So far, nobody’s injured on that fire. We did have one minor firefighter injury,” Josh said, describing a laceration that required stitches. He said crews worked about 13 hours to control the blaze and estimated product loss at “just under $500,000.”
Josh and commissioners described the agencies that responded: Duchesne City and County crews, Altamont City, Midton, Bennett County Fire District (which provided foam and engines), and a unit and foam supply from Marathon refinery in Salt Lake City. County staff said Marathon’s equipment arrived after the fire had been brought largely under control but the refinery crew assessed the scene and provided technical advice.
County staff reported that foam supplies ran low during the response. Josh said the event exposed a vulnerability: the county’s foam inventory was not sufficient to shorten the burn period. He said the county will order foam to replenish stock and that bills generated by the response will initially be invoiced to Duchesne County; county staff plan to pursue reimbursement or reissue invoices to private parties responsible for the site.
County and fire officials described how tank design and firefighting tactics shaped the response. Officials said modern tanks use pressure‑relief systems that vent rather than catastrophically fail; crews credited that design with preventing catastrophic tank explosions but said the configuration meant firefighting presented unique challenges as product migrated from “manways” and backside areas of tanks.
Commissioners and staff said they will hold an interagency debrief with local and industry partners, examine communications and command coordination, and consider equipment or mutual‑aid options (including a foam‑capable tender) to improve future responses. Josh summarized: “The system worked, but it showed us where the weak link is — foam and some equipment. We’re ordering foam and will re‑evaluate capability.”
County leaders said they will get a formal incident report after the state investigation and will return to the commission with recommendations on equipment, mutual‑aid agreements and any budgetary requests.
No formal action or vote was taken by the commission at the meeting on the incident; commissioners directed staff to follow up with a report and to pursue replenishment of foam and after‑action review.
