Salt Lake City Airport Tower Evacuated When Training Fire Exercise Turns Real, Threatens Propane Tanks

Updated: 9:32 AM- Investigators today are trying to determine what ignited a fire near two 12,000-gallon propane tanks that threatened the closure of the Salt Lake City International Airport last night.

Leaking propane in one of the tanks caught fire about 9 p.m. at the Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighter Training Center, prompting evacuations of the flight operations tower, a Skywest hangar, a Delta Airlines call reservation center and DHL and UPS delivery businesses.

Flight operations staff moved to a new building, and no flights were affected, airport spokeswoman Barbara Gann said. Gann said Skywest moved some planes from the hangar, but she was unsure how many.

The training center lies about a mile from the north end of the airport's west runway, which was shut down, Gann said. There were six arrivals and one departure scheduled between 11:30 p.m. and 2 a.m.

The Salt Lake Fire Department evacuated businesses within 1.5 miles of the training center in case the massive tanks exploded.

When the fire broke out about 9 p.m.., a machine automatically shot water at the tanks to keep them cool and prevent an explosion. But the machine ran out of water by 10:30 p.m., expanding the evacuation area to 1.5 miles from 1 mile, said Dennis McKone, spokesman for the Salt Lake City Fire Department.

About 45 firefighters, with seven engines and two ladder trucks, responded. A Hazmat team eventually shut off the main gas feed, and crews doused the flames by 1 a.m., McKone said.

The training center is owned and operated by the airport. It is used for training by fire agencies throughout the West United, McKone said.

Propane stored in the tanks fuels fires on the props that are used in training exercises.

Investigators will report to the scene today to determine the fire's cause, McKone said. Staff writer Russ Rizzo contributed to this report.

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