Coleman fire started after forklift punctured a propane tank, Wichita fire official says
A three-alarm fire at the Coleman complex was caused by an accident while employees were moving crates of propane tanks with a forklift, a Wichita Fire Department official said.
Coleman employees were unloading crates from one semi to another at the plant in northeast Wichita on Wednesday. One employee “accidentally punctured one of the crates of one pound propane cylinders, and that started the chain reaction of explosions of the fire,” Battalion Chief Jose Ocadiz said by phone.
The fire, which was called in at about 5:13 p.m., involved about 1,000 propane tanks and drew more than 80 firefighters, Ocadiz said.
Wichita fire chief Tammy Snow said in news briefing on Wednesday that employees evacuated the building and no injuries were reported.
Estimated damages are still unknown. Ocadiz says Coleman officials are working on getting a dollar amount on the damage.