No Injuries in Fire at Pitchess Jail
CASTAIC — A fire broke out at the Pitchess jail about 3:30 p.m. Monday, but no injuries were reported and inmates were never in danger, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department officials.
Workers had to evacuate the power plant that provides the prison with electricity after a maintenance crew accidentally set afire titanium tubes in an outdoor steel tank used in making calcium sulfide, fire department spokesman Bob Goldman said.
The fire in that tank threatened a nearby tank containing what fire officials originally believed to be sulfuric acid, but was later discovered to contain a less dangerous substance.
By the time firefighters arrived, Goldman said, the blaze was melting the second tank’s metal gauges.
Firefighters put water on the tank and its plumbing to keep it from igniting but allowed the original fire to burn itself out. It was still burning hours later.
“The problem is, you don’t want to put any water on burning metal,†Goldman said. “Putting water on burning metal releases hydrogen in a gaseous form. That is an explosive component and can lead to secondary explosions.â€
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