GLENPOOL, Okla. — Fire crews from across Green Country successfully extinguished a massive blaze at the Explorer Pipeline tank farm after nearly 12 hours, marking the third major fire at the facility in just over 20 years.
All three tanks involved in the fire were declared out by 7:37 p.m., according to the Glenpool Fire Department, though cooling and monitoring efforts continue.
Residents reported hearing and feeling the impact across the community.
For longtime Glenpool residents like Cory Stead, the dark plumes of smoke was a familiar — if unwelcome — sight. The tank farm has experienced major fires in both 2003 and 2006.
"First time was in '03 and I was in eighth grade at the time," said Stead. "That was the first time so it was like crazy, this is insane, but after the first time, this time, eh, it is what it is as long as they keep it contained."
The 2006 incident was also caused by a lightning strike and resulted in a similar 10-11 hour fight with dramatic flames visible across the area.
A LOOK AT THE 2006 FIRE
Despite the recurring nature of these incidents, Stead noted improvements in how first responders handle the fires.
"I think they've improved a lot since it wasn't as long and we didn't have to cancel any school today like we did back in '03," he said.
Fire officials said the operation has transitioned from active firefighting to cooling and monitoring.
"We are going to continuing to put foam onto those tanks about every 30 minutes for the next several hours to ensure that they continue to cool down," said Mandy Vavirnak, the Glenpool Fire Department's Public Information Officer.
Explorer Pipeline confirmed that Williams Fire and Hazard Control and US Fire Pump are leading the continued cooling efforts. The company said in a statement that air quality monitoring is ongoing and tank inspectors remain on site to assess damage and safety conditions.
2 News asked Explorer Pipeline about lightning precautions and procedures, but has not received a response.
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