Flames engulf van at Bomb Pit

Failure in communication and the lack of a 911 emergency system on Tinian prevented firefighters from immediately responding to a fire that completely burned a van next to the historic Bomb Pit in the morning of April 15. Fortunately, no one was injured in the blaze.

In a news briefing yesterday, Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services acting commissioner Claudio K. Norita and Firefighter II Daniel R. Suel cited the two factors as well as the cause of the blaze and the lack of funding to buy parts for the island’s two fire trucks.

Firefighter II Daniel R. Suel relates their investigation into the fire that engulfed a van next to the historic Bomb Pit on Tinian in the morning last April 15 during a press briefing yesterday at Fire Station in Susupe, Saipan. Listening to Suel are Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services acting commissioner Claudio K. Norita and DFEMS spokesman Derek B. Gersonde. (Ferdie de la Torre)

Norita said two firefighters eventually responded to the Bomb Pit, but it was too late because the 2013 Nissan Quest car owned by Avis Rent A Car was already engulfed in flames.

Norita also disclosed that pumps in the island’s two fire trucks have not been working since six to eight months ago and that there is no budget to buy parts, estimated to cost $52,000 for both vehicles. He said Tinian Fire is currently using small trucks to respond to fires.

Norita instructed Suel and fire investigator Norman Skilling last April 16 to proceed to Tinian and investigate the fire incident.

Case agent Suel said that, on April 15 at 11:39am, Tinian Department of Public Safety Dispatch received a call from Trenton Conner reporting a vehicle on fire at the Bomb Pit.

Suel said DPS police officers who responded to the site saw that the van was already engulfed in flames.

Suel said firefighters arrived shortly after aboard their rescue vehicle.

Suel said Vicente Santos, one of the passengers of the van, disclosed that they rented the van from Avis Rent-A-Car.

As the group was about to leave the parking lot, Santos heard the van making a weird sound so he asked an Avis personnel about the sound, but he was assured that the vehicle was fine.

Santos and others, including an investor, first went to the Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino and met with Tinian Mayor Joey San Nicolas and Tinian Health Center resident director William Cing. After that, Santos and the passengers left the hotel to show the investor around the island.

When they reached the Bomb Pit and got down, Santos noticed smoke coming out from underneath the van’s carriage on the driver side. He also saw what appeared to be fluid dripping down to the pavement from the undercarriage.

Santos escorted the passengers to a clear area. He and the group repeatedly tried to call people via cell phone to get help but to no avail. Persistent calls paid off when Herman Cabrera was able to get through and called Trenton Connor.

The communication kept dropping without fully disseminating any information. Cabrera finally contacted William Cing’s cell phone and told him about the incident. The call, however, dropped again.

Cabrera called 911, but the call was picked up by the Saipan DPS. Cabrera requested for a fire truck.

Saipan DPS 911 dispatch called the Tinian dispatch and told them about the incident.

Cing was reportedly walking to his car for lunch when he received a message from Cabrera about their car on fire at the Bomb Pit at 11:39am. Cing walked into the Tinian Fire Station and informed two firefighters about the incident.

Cing kept asking Cabrera if anyone was injured and if an ambulance was needed, but there was no answer. Cing left the fire station and was on his way to the Tinian Dynasty when he heard the sirens of an emergency vehicle heading toward the airport and the Bomb Pit.

Suel said that based on their investigation, it was found out that the van had been serviced twice by an auto shop before the incident.

Suel said that, on Jan. 31, 2015, the van was taken to the auto shop to fix a leaking power steering hose and that a month later, the renter reported to Avis that the van was emitting an odor like something was burning.

On March 23, 2015, the van was taken to the same shop due to steering abnormalities.

The abnormalities were rectified and the van was put again into the line for rental.

Suel said close observation indicated that the fire somehow started in the bottom of the engine compartment on the driver’s side.

Sue said comparison of burn marks and patterns of the fire growth indicates the fire spread up into the engine compartment.

He said fire patterns also indicated that the fire had spread rapidly throughout the passenger and truck compartments.

Suel said further investigation revealed that the right tire rod was replaced and that the burned accumulative combustible materials on that particular side were removed.

However, he noted, the mechanic failed to recognize the accumulation of the same combustible materials on the left side tire rod (driver side), which is about several inches away from the engine exhaust manifold (muffler).

“It was found that the dried accumulated combustible materials (grass and twigs) on the tire rod reached its ignition temperature from extended exposure to heat exerted from the muffler and caused the fire,” Suel said.

All other combustible and flammable materials adjacent to the fire caused a domino effect and spread the fire rapidly, he added.