Department of Dubai Civil Defence and Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) have jointly conducted fire exercise drill on how to fight petroleum tanks fires, at Jebel Ali Free Zone. The purpose of the Shared drill  was to assess the effectiveness of communication process  between ENOC’s  Disaster Management,  as per segment  crisis management plan and to evaluate the level of preparedness for handling emergencies situations, including major   fires, and Civil Defence coordination mechanisms, plus identifying the need for further requirement for firefighting equipments and capabilities.

Lt.Co.Expert AbdulRahman Balshalat, Director of Jabel Ali fire station, emphasized during his assessment of the joint drill, on the importance  of  evacuation drills which are carried out in association with other concerned entities, in raising efficiency and readiness to respond to crisis and disasters, by setting plans necessary to manage potential emergency situations, and how to be handled as quick as possible, and  work to save lives and protect properties within risk circle. Drills help to raise fire stations’  readiness and minimize response’s time as well as enhance cooperation between support agencies. Petroleum  fires constitute a true challenge that requires permanent  and high level of preparedness and readiness, prompt response and ability of setting flexible plans as per accident  developments and its risk degree, therefore joint drills  of different scenarios established with safety departments at petroleum companies is fundamental element to empower leaderships and  individuals to handle the different possibilities or surprises arising at fire and lives and properties protection area. DCD and ENOC joint drill comes as a part of continued and fruitful cooperation between them for many years.

According to proposed Scenario:
Tank overflow occurred during the inter-tank transfer of gasoline from tank to another, as a result flammable vapor cloud began to develop at the gasoline leakage scene into a fire, operator who was nearby the tank suffered a serious burn as a result, altered control room immediately ordered to stop the transfer pump, then Site Emergency Response Team started to douse the fire with foam from foam trailers..

but fire did not stop, Civil Defence team from Jebal Ali fire station arrived to the scene and immediately started the firefighting operations using their fire trucks. Due to the extreme heat, pipe line flanges leak product into the fire, fire grew even bigger and further heat up the tank, so Site Emergency Response Team could not reach fix valves to operate them.

30 minutes after the fire occurred, the tank exploded causing the steel cone roof to open on one side leading to full surface fire. Due to the radiation heat, the nearby tank  developed into full surface fire, whilst Civil Defence teams and SERT continue  their firefighting operations  to prevent it from spreading to adjacent tanks.