Crews Contain Large Structure Fire Near Ports

Explosion and Fire Near the Port

In Savannah, GA, this Saturday morning, local fire crews found themselves responding to an explosion and fire near the minute ports on Marine Terminal Rd. As the first responders were arriving on the scene, thick black smoke was already billowing into the air from the port.

According to reports from the Savannah Fire Department, the fire started in a wood chip conveyer facility, situated underground, which later led to a tank explosion. A train nearby was significantly affected, causing an immediate evacuation of the adjacent facility. During this incident, three individuals from the Savannah Fire Department sustained minor heat-related injuries. Thankfully, they were released and sent home by Sunday afternoon.

Impact on Traffic

The situation led to a standstill as truck drivers were forced to either wait or turn around because only first responders were allowed to enter the area. In an interaction, a truck driver, Qasim Muktahid, who had just picked up a load of gravel, mentioned how he got trapped in place when fire crews pulled a hose in front of his truck.

“They said you might as well stretch out or walk. Go find somewhere to go, it’s going to be, they can’t tell me when it’s going to be, how long it’s going to be,” said Muktahid.

Fire Containment

By 10:00 a.m., the fire that initiated from the wood chip conveyer belt was contained. Yet, the thick smoke was still visible from miles away around Savannah. With tremendous effort by the numerous Savannah Fire units, Chatham police and EMS crews, they succeeded in extinguishing one of the burning domes while the fire on the second fire dome was still tackled.

By 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, firefighting activities officially concluded, as confirmed by the Savannah Fire Department. The team then worked with facility staff to safely allocate the removed wood product and made arrangements for it to be monitored by the facility staff.

Investigating the Cause and thanking facility staff

As the situation deescalates, plans to work in tandem with the facility to determine the actual cause of the fire are underway. The Savannah Fire Department thanked the facility leadership and staff for their cooperation and assistance, which significantly contributed to the quick and safe resolution of the dangerous situation.