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PagelOf2 <br /> �������A� <br /> �������� <br /> SIX ST]CN7ONFIREFIGHTERS CAUGHT INEXPLOSION <br /> `CHAOTIC" BLAZE ERUPTS AT PORT POWER FACILITY <br /> By Keith Michaud <br /> September 03,Zu08 <br /> Remrdnet.comStaff Writer <br /> STOCKTON -Afew brief moments Tuesday morning turned chaotic and frightening for Stockton firefighters. <br /> Baffling afire at FPL Energy's POSDEF Power facility at the Port of Stockton,firefighters called over their radios <br /> the ominous phrase, "Mayday, Mayday."Six firefighters had been caught in an explosion that could beheard ai <br /> least aquarter-mile away and needed immediate assistance. <br /> Fellow firefighters held in reserve away from the fire in case their comrades needed aid rushed in and were able to <br /> help the six get out of the coal-processing building they were in. Miraculously, the worst injury was a twisted knee. <br /> The blast, smoke and coal dust were disorienting, said Stockton Fire Division Chief Paul Willette, a department <br /> spokesman.Willefte said the scene following the blast was"very chaotic,"and it was the first time hecould recall a <br /> Stockton firefighter using the Mayday distress call. <br /> °(Therescuers)were staged inthe event they would baneeded bosave our guya."VViUedesaid. "That paid <br /> dividends for us. ...The way ithappened iakind ofthe way w/ascripted it." <br /> Firefighters Lonnie Gutierrez, 3U; Robert Zamora,2S; and Scott Porrette. 33; and Capto.Tom Zimmerman, 45.and <br /> Robert Stover, 56,were treated and released from San Joaquin General Hospital before noon Tuesday. The sixth <br /> firefighter, 37-year-old Chris Jesberg, suffered the twisted knee and was released by early afternoon, Willette said. <br /> The firefighters were called to the facility shortly after 9 a.m.to a report of smoke coming from a silo across the <br /> street from the coal-and petroleum coke-burning facility. Coal dust can be highly oombustib|e, but the cause of <br /> Tuesday's fire iostill being investigated. <br /> Responding firefighters were delayed byatrain at railroad crossing and had tofind a different route to the plant. <br /> Once there,firefighters were again stymied when they found that the fire hydrant closest to the building was out of <br /> service. Firefighters had toQoUothe next closest fire hydrant afew hundred feet away and had to relay pump the <br /> water. <br /> The firefighters were inside the back house building where coal is processed before being sent via conveyor belt to <br /> oplant across the street and about to search for the source of the smoke when the explosion occurred at 9:27 a.m., <br /> VViUettemaid. <br /> The firefighters had been cautioned several times over the radio not to open a door between them and the fire until <br /> their fire hoses were fully charged with water so that they could battle the fire as soon as the door was opened. <br /> VViUette said firefighters heeded the warnings, but the explosion still occurred. <br /> "|t'aone ofthe mysteries ofthis type of8na."VViUedesaid. <br /> httn://xwvv.recO7doet.m}m/4ppm/nbc8.d}l/8rtic\e?AT7]=/20080Q03/A NEWS/80Q0]03}}&te... 9/4/9008 <br />