Crews Extinguish Asphalt Plant Fire Along Highway 97
Heavy fire involved production machinery and above-ground tanks, sending black smoke into the air; no injuries were reported.
KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore. — Firefighters from several Klamath County agencies extinguished a commercial fire involving asphalt production equipment along Highway 97 Saturday evening.
Klamath County Fire District 1 and the Kingsley Field Fire Department responded at approximately 8:23 p.m. July 11 to reports of a fire at a commercial property adjacent to the highway.
The first arriving engine crew found machinery and above-ground tanks used in asphalt production burning heavily. Thick black smoke from the fire was visible from a distance.
Firefighters determined that conditions required a defensive response and began attacking the fire using a deck gun, which allows crews to apply a large volume of water from a safer distance.
Additional water tenders were requested from Keno Rural Fire Protection District and Klamath County Fire District 4.
Crews isolated electricity and gas serving the tanks before moving in with hand lines to extinguish the remaining flames.
No injuries were reported among employees, members of the public or responding firefighters.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The incident occurred Saturday, though Klamath County Fire District 1 released information and photographs from the response Tuesday afternoon.
