Propane Leak Sparks Fire That's 'Quickly Extinguished'

A fire that began in a back parking lot on Boyton Avenue near Westfield Senior Housing was brought under control quickly Monday morning, according to Scott S. Miller, Battalion Chief of the Westfield Fire Department.

Miller said a contractor was using a 20-pound propane tank to fuel a torch for work he was doing in the area when the regulator on the tank malfunctioned, causing the tank to leak, starting the fire.

"The contractor attempted to shut the tank down but when he was unable to, he left the tank at the edge of the parking lot and call 9-1-1," Miller said. "We were able to cool the tank off, extinguish the fire and reach in and shut off the tank."

The Union County Hazmat Team was called to the scene, Miller stated, due to "a heavy odor of propane in the air" near the senior housing buildings.

"We requested assistance in case the shut off valve was not working," explained Miller, who noted that Union County Hazmat specializes in working with materials such as propane. "Luckily, that was not the case."

Miller said the situation had the potential to become "severe" but the fire department was able to "get it under control quickly." He added that no evacuations were necessary and no injuries had been reported at press time.

The Westfield Police Department was also at the scene, Miller added.