New documents obtained by CBC News provide a clear timeline of the massive emergency response to the explosion and fire that killed six employees of Eastway Tank Pump & Meter Ltd. in Ottawa on January 13.
The 44-page incident report, obtained through the city’s Freedom of Information Act, includes minute-by-minute dispatch notes detailing not only how firefighters worked for hours in frigid conditions to bring the volatile blaze under control, but also their commanders’ concerns about the potential for secondary explosions, collapsing walls, and a flow of uncontained fuel spilling from the industrial property onto nearby railroad tracks.
The incident report also reveals the size and scope of the response to what would quickly become a rare five-alarm call.
It lists all 134 firefighters and their equipment — 20 pumps, four ladder trucks, four tower trucks and numerous other pieces of heavy equipment — so many that commanders had to juggle resources to ensure the rest of the city was adequately covered in the event of another emergency.
Records relating to the dead and injured have been separated from the documents in accordance with privacy legislation.
Eastway employees Rick Bastien, Danny Beal, Kayla Ferguson, Matt Kearney, Etienne Mabiala and Russell McLellan died as a result of the disaster.
Clockwise from top left, victims Matt Kearney, Etienne Mabiala, Danny Beal, Rick Bastien, Russell McLellan and Kayla Ferguson. (Photos sent)
First calls to 911
According to dispatch reports, the first calls to 911 began shortly before 1:30 p.m. (The notes provide brief summaries of the communications, not verbatim transcripts.)
“Lots of black smoke, flames going up to 50-60 [feet].”
“Black smoke coming from the roof.”
“Eastway Trucking Company.”
“The building could be brought down by another 911 caller.”
“Caller reports fire spreading throughout roof.”
“All stations notified.”
The first mention of casualties, which has been redacted, comes seconds later. Several more calls, apparently from 911 callers at the scene, followed in quick succession.
At 1:36 p.m., Ottawa police are said to be setting up a perimeter around the burning building.
A rare fifth alarm was called just over an hour after the initial explosion, summoning firefighters from across Ottawa. (David McEvoy/Bytown Fire Brigade)
About one minute later, the first fire crew, Pumper 25, arrived and approached the north side of the burning building from an adjacent Petro Canada yard. The closest of several large fuel storage tanks on the Petro Canada property is only 50 meters away.
“Structure completely [involved] at this time,” the dispatcher reports seconds later.
Enbridge and Hydro Ottawa have been notified to shut down utilities and Pumper 25 is calling paramedics to the Eastway entrance, possibly to treat victims.
The dispatch notes offer an inside look at the response to the Eastway tank explosion
Reports from emergency services on the day of the Eastway Reservoir explosion in January show the dangers and challenges firefighters faced as they tried to put out the flames.
“Multiple Hazards”
As of 1:41 p.m., Pump 25 has a hose, but crews are asking for help running a high-volume line to a hydrant on Merivale Road.
When more trucks arrive, a second alarm is required to call more crews to the scene.
At 13:43 Pumper 24 reported: “The roof is collapsing – the walls will collapse soon.”
Pumper 24, from the nearby station, which serves as one of Ottawa’s two hazmat bases, then issued a warning about the hazardous fuels and chemicals in the burning building: “Lots of hydrocarbons inside.”
In his internal remarks filed eight days later, incident safety officer Kip Mueller noted “multiple hazards” at the scene, including a potential wall collapse, a propane heater on the south side of the building, a tanker truck that had been left to operating next to the building and two other tankers “possibly having flammable liquids or hazardous materials on board” parked in service bays at the east end of the building.
Seconds after the hydrocarbon warning, the dispatcher reported, “Strictly defensive fire. No crews inside.”
A ladder truck directs a stream of water at the flames on January 13. The fire will not be declared under control until almost 6pm (Submitted by Murray Spencer)
Crews struggled to bring the flames under control
At 1:46 p.m., Pumper 34 is designated as the rapid response team to rescue any firefighters who are injured or trapped, while Pumper 37 is tasked with “reporting”—keeping track of which crews are doing what, so no one should disappear.
Two minutes later, Pumper 23 confirms that the two-story store where the initial explosion is believed to have occurred is fully involved, but crews are “trying to stop it from reaching the 3rd section of the building,” which contains the four services bays.
This diagram of the Eastway facility shows that the explosion appears to have occurred in the production area on the left, while the service area on the right remains stationary. (CBC) This drone footage shows the entrances where trucks enter the production area and paint shop. (CBC)
At 1:52 p.m., a third alarm was called, which called for two more pumpers, another ladder truck and a district supervisor.
A minute later, the dispatcher reports that crews are having trouble getting to the south side of the building due to a hose blocking access.
At 13:55, the regional chief of the accident site reported to the command that there were “2-3 oil tankers” in the building. Two minutes later it was reported that Insp. Jimmy Fatta, Division Chief, is en route to the scene.
As the ladder trucks arrive and begin setting up, the district chief orders crews to direct their streams through the billowing smoke toward the center of the burning building. These instructions continue throughout the afternoon and evening.
Water pressure was also an issue as crews struggled to maintain the flow needed to extinguish the flames. At 2:07 p.m., the dispatcher advised that contact had been made with the city to find out “who will respond from water supply.”
Meanwhile, a “joint command” post involving Ottawa Fire, Ottawa police and paramedics has been set up in the parking lot of a commercial building across Merivale Road.
Fear of the wall collapsing
By 2:12 p.m., fearing an imminent wall collapse, the on-site safety officer ordered an exclusion zone on the south side of the building to avoid potential injury to firefighters.
At 2:14 p.m., the dispatcher notified crews that a firefighting foam truck from Ottawa International Airport was available if needed.
Seconds after the fourth alarm was raised at 2:41 p.m., loud bangs were heard coming from inside the burning building.
“Several tires blew out of the facility inside,” the dispatcher reported.
This drone image released by Ottawa police shows the extent of the destruction. (Ottawa Police Service)
At 14:48 a rare fifth alarm is called. Three minutes later, a cinder block wall on the south side of the building collapsed onto the first floor roof. A few minutes later, a district superintendent suggested a “shovel” or backhoe “might be useful … to redirect the fire,” and contacted city officials to ask how long it would take.
At 3:17 p.m., Pumper 31 reported: “Full flames in new building – becoming dangerous.” It is not clear which part of the Eastway building this refers to.
Two minutes later, Pumper 12 reported a fuel fire on the south side of the building and called for crews to pull back.
At this point, Via Rail is asking if the tracks near the south side of the property are “compromised.” A minute later comes the order from command to “turn off VIA tracks.”
Fuel spills pose a new threat
As crews begin to attack the volatile fire with foam, a new hazard emerges: spilled fuel is seen “rolling toward the parking lot — moving from east to west.” One crew reports “200 [metres] fuel on the railroad tracks — migrating both ways.”
This would become a major problem as the afternoon progressed as the contaminated fluid turned the unpaved parking lot into a quagmire.
“Knee-deep in water,” reports Pumper 24. “The yard doesn’t drain well.”
The city was obviously concerned too. “The city would like to know if the fuel is entering the watershed,” the dispatcher reports at 3:29 p.m., possibly referring to the ditch that separates the Eastway property from the railroad tracks.
At 3:36 p.m., paramedics searched for an injured firefighter but were told to back off. The details of this incident have been redacted. No serious injuries were reported among firefighters who responded to the Eastway explosion.
A few minutes later, the teams ask who is coming to drain the yard. It’s also the first mention of any potential threat to a nearby residential area: “High priority now … Spill to well district.”
The dispatcher was told to call the city’s road department for hay bales “to cover the fuel spill on the tracks.”
Chris Lawson of the fire department spoke to reporters on Jan. 14. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
Stubborn hot spots
At 3:49 p.m., crews who had entered a largely intact service area were ordered to withdraw due to an impending roof collapse, but were advised that they were “still dealing with hot spots.” Twelve minutes later, they retreat to obtain a “piercing nozzle” that allows them to punch a hole in the wall and fight the flames from outside the building.
For the next half hour, crews continue to put out hot spots as directed by their “eye in the sky” in the bucket of a tower truck.
At 4:24 p.m., the dispatcher reports that a hazardous materials vehicle from Station 24 is en route. Around the same time, teams began a thorough search of the perimeter of the building.
The four service niches at the east end of the building can be seen in this photo. (Alexander Bene/CBC)
Pump 12 opens the east-facing door of the paint shop and inspects the service rooms. “P12 confirms all from 3 wards.” Minutes later, this section of the Eastway building is officially all clear.
At 4:42 p.m., more than an hour after the drainage problem was identified, command requested an “ETA or location” from the city and was…
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