Story/Photos By Jay Kelley
A Colby business that escaped destruction in an Aug. 16 conflagration that consumed two businesses on East Fourth Street in Colby, Kan. was heavily damaged by fire Thursday, October 4.
Employees at P & D Auto Repair, 335 E. Fourth were repairing a gasoline tank on a pickup when the tank fell, spilling gasoline. Workers attempted to shut off ignition sources in the area, but they were unable to work fast enough.
"All the ignition sources were up to code (at least 24 inches off the floor,") said Colby Fire Service Officer J.L. Ellis, the incident commander. "With the amount of vapor, I don't know if they could have been high enough."
Engine 1, a 1250 gpm pumper arrived first and firefighters made an aggressive exterior attack using 2 1/2 lines through the garage doors on the east side of the building. A crew was also sent into the front of the building with an 1 3/4 to prevent the fire from spreading into the offices.
Engine 2, a 75' quint was also on scene, providing ventilation and support with a six-man crew.
The building is truss construction in the main shop, but due to the fire's proximity to the main doors, crews were able to knock it down in a relatively short time.
"We have a lot of smoke and a little heat damage (in the office,") said Ellis, but firefighters were able to keep the blaze confined to the north side of the building.
Although the fire was stopped, Ellis said damage was extensive. In addition to several heavily damaged vehicles, the structural steel of the building itself was subjected to intense heat and fire.
"The building is going to have to be inspected," he said. "It took a real beating."
The building was on the east side of a row of three businesses on the block when a fire broke out in the Hutfles Construction building on the west corner on Aug. 16.
Balloon construction hampered firefighting efforts in that blaze and the Hutfles building and adjoining Northwest Kansas Telecommunications building were destroyed.
Firefighters made a stand at the P & D building with the ladder pipe from Engine 2 and several master streams, saving the building.
