« November 2006 | Main | January 2007 »

December 17, 2006

Sansinena Goes Down in History

It was about 7:30 in the evening on December 17th, 1970 and everyone at the Los Angeles Fireman's Relief Christmas party was having a great time. The party was being held on board the Princess Louise and it was a typical December evening in Los Angeles, clear and not too cold. There was dancing and laughter and the ship was alive with the celebrations of the season.

Suddenly, the Princess Louise shuddered and windows throughout the ship literally exploded, showering party-goers with fragments of glass. The music stopped and everyone looked about, startled and anxious.

Simultaneously, firefighters on board Wagon 48 were nearing their quarters following a run when they felt the concussion and witnessed a rapidly expanding orange flash and billowing mushroom cloud. Acting Fire Captain James Frances picked up the telephone handset and called OCD, saying, "We've had a helluva explosion in the harbor!" Several blocks away, Firestation 48's upstairs windows blew out and Acting Battalion 6 Chief Leo Christensen ran outside with other firefighters to see what had happened. Seeing the growing column of smoke, the entire task force responded without waiting for an alarm. It appeared something terrible had happened in the harbor.

The previous day, a 36-compartment tanker, the S.S. Sansinena, had arrived at the Union Oil Company's bulk terminal at Berth 46, near the southern tip of the harbor. The mostly Italian crew had spent the majority of the day on the 17th loading fuel and ballast in preparation for an 11PM departure. The Sansinena was 810-feet long and 70,620 deadweight tons - the largest vessel of its kind when it was constructed in 1958.

At 7:33PM, an unknown ignition source created an explosion that acted like a surgeon's knife, lifting the center section of the ship - a section more than 500 feet long - into the air, leaving the bow and aft sections in the water. The midship section lifted off like a Saturn rocket and made it more than 700 feet into the air. As gravity took over, the center section of the Sansinena came crashing down on top of a guard shack 200 yards from where the ship was berthed. Most investigators believe that security guard Howard Dennis was in the shack. He was certainly killed and his body never found.

On the Princess Louise, it turned out that not one guest had been injured. They turned out to watch the glow in the sky from the explosion and fire. It was a night they would never forget.

OCD dispatched Task Force 38, Engine 53, Engine 101 and all five fireboats. Within the first 18 minutes of the incident, an additional nine task forces, nine rescue-ambulances, two helicopters, three triples, Light Water 100 and Crash 90 were added to the assignment. Chief Engineer Long was flown by helicopter to the harbor to take command and direct the crews.

When first-in Task Force 48 arrived on scene, it was still unclear to them what had happened. There was oil and flame extending along the Union Oil yard and the midship section of the Sansinena was not easily recognized. You wouldn't expect to see the middle of a ship sitting on a dock and this one was nearly concealed by flames and smoke. BC Christenson notified OCD of, "fire on a 900-foot front."

As Boat 5, berthed about a half mile from the explosion drew in close to the oil and fire covered water and stern of the ship, debris were still falling from the sky. The bow and stern were separated by more than 500 feet of open water, much of it covered with burning oil. Both sections of the ship were more than 60 feet from the concrete pier.

The three-man crew on board Fireboat 5 could hear screams and calls for help. Despite the threat of additional explosions, Fireboat Mate Walter Ball, and firefighters John Kemperman and Forrest Taylor worked Fireboat 5 into the area beneath the stern of the doomed ship and rescued four sailors from the water and 14 who slid down ropes and jumped into the fireboat. Once the crewmen were on board, Ball swung the fireboat around and sped for Berth 55 where Engine 101 had set up a command post for medical assessment. The engine company, along with RA staff were triaging victims before transporting them to local hospitals.

Land companies were forced to lay extremely long hose lays into the fire. Next to the Union Oil facility, the San Pedro Boat Works contained more than $1.5 million in small craft moorings. It was the most at-risk exposure. For three hours, firefighters battled the flames before bringing the major emergency fire under control. The pleasure craft at the Boat Works were saved.

As the sun came up on the morning of December 18, the toll was known. There were nine dead, plus 46 injured. Damage extended out in a six-mile radius from the explosion. The scene was almost unimaginable: two bits of ship sticking up from the shallow harbor and a smoking ruin on the dock adjacent.

The Coast Guard investigation indicated that the monetary loss exceeded $21 million. It also severely criticized the procedures used on board the Sansinena. Within a very short period of time, the Los Angeles Fire Department began a formal policy of inspecting every incoming tanker prior to offloading or onloading ballast or cargo. It was the first department in the United States to do so. Firefighters Kemperman, Ball, and Taylor were awarded Medals of Valor for saving the 18 crewmen on the ship.

Posted by dbarrett at 12:46 AM | Comments ( 5 )

December 09, 2006

Remembering the Chief

“He was the best Chief in the department’s history,” an L.A. Firefighter said, shaking his head as he stared into his cup of coffee. I was sitting in the office at an L.A. fire station and we were talking about the importance of learning from the past - about applying things we’ve learned to new situations and how often people fail in that regard. “The L.A. Times said he (the Chief) was an innovator one week, then talked about all of the problems when he resigned,” another firefighter said.

A Difficult City to Protect
The City of Los Angeles is one of the most difficult environments to protect from a fire and emergency services point of view. The combination of a huge harbor, airport, high rise buildings, brush, traffic, and congested living areas, not to mention the overall sprawl of the place are unique. The L.A. Fire Department has always had to deal with rapid growth, and being the chief of the department is not a job most people would aspire to. “It’s not a job for anyone who doesn’t have thick skin,” my firefighter friend at the table said.

Media Coverage
There have been plenty of newspaper accounts about the Chief and his time in office, one reporting, “In a decade under him the department has multiplied in personnel and equipment and grown in effectiveness as a fire-fighting and fire-prevention force, until it takes rank with the best in the land. The chief never has been satisfied with merely putting out fires when they have started; he has worked even harder to drill his force in the art of preventing fires, and teaching that art to citizens.”

Power of Politcs
Yet, politics in Los Angeles is a powerful animal. The city commands tremendous attention and has for more than 100 years. City leaders have often gone on to other powerful positions in business or politics and the media in L.A. has been unrelenting in its competitive reporting and editorial.

“So, it was no surprise that politics played a role in the chief resigning?” I asked my firefighter friends. “Of course not,” they both replied. I found it compelling that the job involves so much more than firefighting and the prevention of fire. “Even after serving the city for 30 plus years, at the end, a single incident created enough of a political and media scandal that he had no choice, did he?” I said. We all sat there for a moment, letting that reality sink in.

The Chief's Own Words
I thought back to a printed quote from the Chief that I’d read some time back and I looked it up in my laptop computer (as I’m producing a documentary on the department, there’s a reason to keep such things). I smiled a bit when reading it: "The whole system starts with the California State Constitution and then comes down to our own Los Angeles City Charter. Next comes the mayor, who has jurisdiction over the entire department. Under him is the fire commission, composed of members appointed by the mayor and composed of (individuals) whose duty it is to supervise the department activities.

"Next in the line is the chief engineer, or fire chief, the position I occupy. My duties are administrative as I serve as a sort of general manager for the entire department.” The Chief’s words were powerful. Department policy is managed by the Chief, but is implemented and determined by a greater circle of authority. And making changes isn’t always an easy task, although this Chief made more changes and got more programs through the political process than perhaps any other.

And then, there are the Chief’s own words, which echo through the streets, the corridors of every important building and even City Hall. “There is nothing especially heroic about fighting fires,” he said. “Of course, it is not a game for a fellow who holds back when danger lurks. If you don't go into a blazing building, even needlessly, the public is critical, and, sometimes, if you do go in, you're a damn fool.

“Both my (firefighters) and myself consider traffic hazards in getting to fires greater than those that develop at the conflagration. You have no idea of the sinking feeling you get when being driven down a street at 60 miles an hour and some motorist ignores the law and drives out in front of you.

“I've been around gasoline-filled railroad tank cars that were about to burst from heat--just to mention one form of danger.Well, it is the department's duty to do something--and quickly. We don't get paid for running away, letting the explosion occur, and possibly kill 200 or 300 people. Men who fail to realize this responsibility as a part of their job don't last long in the department.

“It is my sincere hope that my successor will be a man of great capabilities, and one in whom the public and department personnel have the utmost confidence.”

I read the words aloud and another firefighter stopped and asked, “Chief Bamattre said that?” I smiled and said, “Did you think we were talking about Chief Bamattre? Not at all,” and we all laughed. “We’ve been talking about Chief Ralph J. Scott, who retired on April 1st, 1940.”

History does have a way of repeating itself.

ED NOTE: This article is not intended to create an impression (positive or negative) about current command structure or positions. It is a real-world account of a dialog and the history of a past Chief Engineer of the LAFD. The message that we might take from this article is that history will repeat itself, if we do not take steps to learn from and remember the past.

Posted by dbarrett at 10:50 AM | Comments ( 11 )

December 02, 2006

December Valor

Every morning, at approximately 5AM, the smell of coffee starts to fill the apparatus floors and kitchens in 103 fire stations across Los Angeles and in the basement of City Hall East (OCD - fire dispatch and Public Service). The quiet voices of firefighters and sounds of doors closing, showers, and other morning activity can be heard.

Unlike any other profession, these are the sounds of the daily shift changes at the Los Angeles Fire Department. Every morning, one of three platoons of firefighters arrive at work, to relieve those who have been on duty for the previous 24 hours. It is a routine that does not change, no matter the day, the time of year, or the weather.

Firefighters, unlike nearly any other profession, live together 24 hours at a time. It is an aspect of the job that makes it unique and unless you’ve spent a few shifts working and living with firefighters, it’s not easy to understand the bond and trust that exists between these individuals.

Firefighters must trust each other in life threatening situations

As company commanders arrive, they are briefed by their counterparts, and journals are reviewed. Emergency runs are written in red ink and in the case of important incidents that occurred for the outgoing shift, updates are provided to the incoming crews. By 6:00AM, the majority of the shift change is complete. By 8:00AM, the crews are assembled for their daily “lineup” to learn of their assignments and objectives for the coming 24 hours.

Many fire stations are busy places. In fact, Los Angeles has the busiest fire station in the country - Task Force 9 on Skid Row in downtown L.A, which responds to more than 900 runs a month or on average, 29 per day. The city overall responds to more than 1,000 calls per day, including fires, rescues, and emergency medical services.

The early morning hours are often the only time a firefighter can rest. The city is typically calmer then, and runs are more infrequent and are often EMS-related. To allow firefighters their sleep, paramedics are awakened by a “fire phone” that rings near their beds, rather than the typical long ring and “lights on” that activates most fire companies.

And so it was, in the early morning hours of December 4th, 1984. The city was fairly quiet. Around 4:45AM, L.A. Airport Police Officers Joe Ransfer and Robert Lopez were on patrol around the LAX area. The night was coming to its conclusion and the sky was less than an hour from the light of day. As they drove down South Aviation Boulevard, they noticed an orange glow of light. Looking to the east side of the street, they were surprised to see flames reaching for the early morning sky, piercing through the roof of a well known area restaurant, the Proud Bird. The two officers radioed in their report of fire in at 4:53AM.

Less than one minute later, OCD issued a structure fire assignment. The long ring came in at Task Forces 95 and 5, Engine 80 and Battalion 4. As Battalion Chief Kenneth Brass arrived on scene, it was clear the 130 foot by 175 foot ballroom was heavily involved with fire. The Chief’s size-up of the fire scene resulted in additional assignment of 23 fire companies and chief officers, including Assistant Chief Dave Parsons and Deputy Chief Don Anthony.

Unknown to firefighters at the time, the Proud Bird fire had been intentionally set to cover up a burglary. The fire had been active for several hours before it was detected. Worse, the Proud Bird was positioned directly under the flight path for LAX, and extensive work had been done to reduce noise in the restaurant, resulting in a labyrinth of difficult spaces to access and creating a dangerous fuel-rich environment for fire.

Flames shoot from the Proud Bird Restaurant

Fire companies executed an aggressive assault on the fire, with Truck companies working to open the structure, both via doorways and the roof, although roof ventilation was extremely difficult, due to the sound-proofing construction in place. As a result, the heat within the Proud Bird was intense and continued to increase.

Around 5:30AM, Engine 54 was working to advance a hose line into the ballroom. Captain Jim DiGrado and his crew, Walter Barnett and Benjamin Pinel were advancing their inch and a half line, while another Captain, Charles Mackie cleared furniture. The heat made it difficult to breath, even with SCBAs and the smoke that was unable to vent billowing down to the ground, obscuring visibility.

Suddenly, a flash-over fire-balled across the ceiling of the ballroom. The fire attack companies retreated from the building. Even in those few seconds, they became sickened by smoke and heat and once outside, paused to evaluate their situation. It was only then that they realized one of their members, Benjamin Pinel, was not with them. Pinel was still in the violently burning building.

A number of firefighters began an urgent search and rescue mission to find Pinel, among them, Johnny Garcia of Truck 64. Garcia followed the hose line that lay on the ground. It was hot and he couldn’t see more than a few feet. He was crawling on the floor to stay under the smoke and high temperature - and in the distance, he could hear the warning ringing of a firefighter’s PAL device, but couldn’t tell exactly where it was coming from.

When he was about three quarters of the way towards the hose line nozzle, Garcia realized he was alone. The other firefighters who had entered the building with him were nowhere to be seen. Following the hose line, he backed out of the building. His air was nearly gone and he didn’t know why the other firefighters had retreated, so his training compelled him to get out and evaluate himself.

Once he realized he was okay, he asked for another air bottle, and had to wait while the one on his back was hosed off, as it was too hot to touch, even with gloves. With a new bottle, Garcia again entered the building to find his fellow firefighter. This time, he made it to the nozzle and tried to listen for Pinel’s PAL device. Although he could hear the saws on the roof and the other activities of fire fighting, there was no sound from Pinel.

Garcia repeated this process three times. He nearly passed out twice. He got caught on furniture and was nearly trapped. And again, he was forced to retreat for fresh air. On his fourth attempt, Garcia began to lose his orientation. His head was heavy and his vision blurred. He began to feel confused and again following his training, tried to crawl to the exit - but this time, he came to being pulled from the building by other firefighters. Worn out, Garcia sat on the curb with oxygen, dismayed that Pinel had not been found.

A few minutes later, Garcia watched as Pinel was brought from the building and placed on a gurney, while firefighters performed CPR. The Rescue Ambulance took off for Centinela Hospital, where Pinel was pronounced dead at 6:30AM. Pinel had been found approximately 75 feet from the end of the nozzle, apparently disoriented when the flash-over occurred. For all members of the LAFD, his sacrifice 22 years ago this December 4th, has never been forgotten.

Mike (left) and Benjamin (right) Pinel at Ben's Tower Graduation

Garcia’s training no doubt saved his life. He was awarded the Medal of Value for his attempts to rescue Pinel. The physically demanding process of making your way through the tower as a rookie is intended to ensure that anyone who pins on the badge and takes the oath can uphold that oath, not just at graduation, but for years, perhaps decades to follow. The LAFD trains continually, and there is little time for recreation. When an opportunity does present itself, the activities are competitive and peer-bonding - as trust and teamwork are critical to the job.

Each firefighter in every station must rely on their fellow firefighters, regardless of background, race, or sex, to be there for not only the community, but for themselves in times of need. The everyday events in managing emergencies can become routine, but the life-threatening and sudden events that take place in a major emergency require complete trust in those about you. Every firefighter must be ready to give up their life to save another - and at the same time, be prepared to assist another firefighter who is down.

The Proud Bird fire is an important example of firefighters doing whatever it takes to save lives and property. The loss of Benjamin Pinel was a a tragedy not only for his family and the department, but for the city as a whole. At the same time, the lessons learned from this fire, and from every major emergency, are what make the LAFD so unique in terms of operations and life safety.

Today, you can see firefighter Pinel’s name on the memorial wall at the Los Angeles Fire Department’s Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Hollywood. Firefighter Garcia is still on the job and there are retired and active department members at the museum, just next to the memorial, who can explain more about how this department works to protect every citizen and every building, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. And every firefighter knows that each day, as he or she arrives for work around 5:30AM, that this could be their Proud Bird day.

Posted by dbarrett at 01:55 AM | Comments ( 15 )