Gate padlocked. The place had been closed up tight for holiday weekend. Once inside yard, crews spent two hours in defense, then offense against flames.
Firefighter log chronicles tactics to beat fire
WINONA, Minn. — The first fire crew at the massive Miller scrapyard fire on Friday couldn’t get in right away because the only gate was locked, Fire Department logs show. Fire-fighting equipment waited outside as crews tried to force the gate open. The fire was after hours, about 7:30 p.m., on a holiday weekend. As firefighters were attempting forcible entry, a Miller employee arrived and undid the lock. The Department log tells what happened next:
> One team set up defensive because the rubbish inside the garbage transfer structure was burning so intensely.
> A second crew initiated ann attack with a deck gun on a side of the structure.
> A hydrant in the scrapyard was opened and connected.
> The second team deployed a blitz attack.
> A third team arrived.
Goodview firefighters were called to join the battle.
> The third Winona tean opened a hydrant and attacked a corner of the structure.
> A fourth Winona team and a tanker truck arrived and attacked two sides of the structure
> Once the fire’s intensity was controlled, tactics turned to offensive. Crews entered the enclosed part of the building to extinguish flames that had been inaccessible from outside.
> Miller employees used a front-end loader to move large collections of rubbish with fires still burning. A fire crew streamed the rubbish to extinguish.
> A crew was left on scene to be sure the fire was completely extinguished and to extinguish hot spots and smoldering remnants.
Aptly named. A city street sign marks the entrance to Miller Scrap and Disposal, which is the dead-end street’s sole occupant. The scrapyard extends half a mile from Mankato Avenue down Schives Creek. Image: Steve Lunde