Madison, New Jersey, fire department to start training for CNG fires

The Madison, New Jersey, fire department will undergo additional training to prepare fighters for fires involving compressed natural gas (CNG), a report by the Madison Eagle says. Fourteen reports of fires involving CNG in New Jersey and throughout the U.S. prompted the department’s decision.

Lou Pepe, fire training coordinator for Morris County, New Jersey, told the Madison Eagle that CNG fires can be unpredictable and difficult to battle. According to the report, Pepe’s advice is to let it burn out when possible.

CNG can create large bursts of fire if ignited, the report says, some comparable to a blow torch. An example of this is a fire in Mendham, New Jersey, where a waste hauling truck’s gas tank ruptured and severely damaged four businesses at the shopping center it was located. Flames engulfed the truck, the report says, and firefighters were not able to turn off the CNG valve.

Jim Shultz, Morris County’s senior fire instructor, is in the process of contacting CNG representatives to develop a firefighter and first responder training program, the report says. Typically, garbage truck fires involve waste that contains a flammable substance under pressure that ignites. 

Since Jan. 28, 2015, at least 15 CNG truck fires across the country have been reported, including one in Indianapolis that damaged five businesses and caused one minor injury to a firefighter, according to the report.

According to the report, poor maintenance or electrical problems are a large cause of cab and chassis fires.