Press "Enter" to skip to content

Port Jefferson FD-Fire at Sinclair Refining

January 29, 1964 Alarm dispatched a t 1555 hours. Francis Lester drove his 2500 gallon tank truck into the loading shed of the Sinclair Installation where two other trucks were filling. The weather was clear, temp mild for the season, with a 15 mile wind out of the northwest. Lester later testified that he had shutdown his motor, grounded the truck and filled compartment one without incidnet. But when he started to load compartment two, the filler nozzle popped out of the hatch, sending a cascade of gas over the tank and the ground. While replacing the nozzle, Lester heard a loud pop and noticed that the front of his truck was burning. He ran to turn in the alarm while the other two drivers pulled out. Port Jefferson was assisted by Terryville, Setauket, St, James, Smithtown, Patchogue, Mt. Sinai, Stony Brook, Miller Place, Westhampton Air Base and Grumman Airport. The fire was extinguished at approximately 1815 hours. All photos are from the Port Jefferson Centennial Journal

Be First to Comment

Leave a Reply