Falk Explosion

[Teufelhunden]

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 6, 2006, 8:37 a.m.
By Linda Spice
UPDATE: At least 30 injured in blast

Fire officials report a minimum of 30 injured in an explosion at the Falk plant that has caused a complete collapse of a building and four-alarm fire, according to fire Lt. Lawrence Jenkins.

"There are a significant amount of injuries," Jenkins said.

The blast occurred shortly after 8 a.m. today at the plant in the Menomonee Valley.

Heavy black smoke and flames could be seen engulfing a smokestack with the word "Falk" on it.

Traffic was backed up eastbound on I-94 past the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds.

The blast could be felt as far south as Bay View and as far east as Juneau Village.

[GRAMPS SS]

its now a 4 alarm fire at 9:00.........

[juicedimpss]

http://www.themilwaukeechannel.com/wxstncam/1458626/detail.html

[GRAMPS SS]

they just said it was a propane tank that blew

[wikked]

I'm only 35 blocks away and I didn't hear/feel shiat.
I'd be scared if I was in one of these buildings further away that could hear/feel the blast... crappy construction :P

*looks out window* - It doesn't look as bad now, I can barely see the smoke, shoudla took a pic when it first happened.

[Nix]

Ha, mopar we both posted on the same topic at the exact same time.

Admins if you could please delete my post since there are no hits on it, eith that use it as a free thread for garbage/shiat.:banana1:

[Karps TA]

My buddy works down in that area and he said it knocked ceiling tiles out of the building he was in.

[Teufelhunden]

I have a friend that works down there. Which building fell, the foundry?

[BAD LS1]

It was a 160,000 Gallon Propane tank that went up.

Here is a pic of a briggs employee i know standing in front of one of the 90,000 gallon units they took out of the burleigh plant!!!

So double the size of this one or so... I got 20$ that says there aint much left of the building!

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/6355/mvc031xab6.jpg

[Teufelhunden]

The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department says if you are concerned about family or friends who worked at Falk, you can to to Friday's at Miller Park to get more information.

[juicedimpss]

holy crap thats a big tank

[Silver350]

I have two uncles that work there... I got a call from my mom crying saying my one of my uncle works thrid shift and left before the blast and the other uncle works 1st. I was told he was at work when the blast happened and he called my aunt just to say he is alive and not to worry.... i am still waiting to hear if he is injured at all.

[Teufelhunden]

CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/12/06/milwaukee.fire.ap/index.html) says its the warehouse that was destroyed. I hope your uncle is ok.

http://www.themilwaukeechannel.com/2006/1206/10474579_480X360.jpg

[Cutlass Queen]

My best wishes go out to you and your family Silver350

[b4mytm]

One of my "Dads" works down there,and he said it was the plant that went down.He was there and said that he was knocked to the ground,but he is ok.
They just transported him and others to Miller Park.



I felt it here in Oak Creek.

[BAD LS1]

holy crap thats a big tank

If only we can get our hands on a nitrous mother bottle that big heh??

[Silver350]

Thanks guys. I am sure my uncle is ok. he said he is alive so that is all that really matters. It was just hard getting the phone call from my mom balling her eyes out and the voicemail message she left is hard to understand.

[Feature Pony]

all I can say is wow!!! I was brushing my teeth this morning and I live on 13th and grange and I heard it and my house shook a little, my dog went nuts and I couldn't figure out what happened, untill my mom called me.. I have a couple of buddies that work there but they work on 2nd, but I called to make sure and they are ok. I hope everyone comes out ok...

[Teufelhunden]

Watching the live feed from WISN. Looks a lot worse than I imagined. Holy sh1t.

[BadAzzGTA89]

That must have been insane to be down there:wow

[Nix]

Insane anywhere near there, people who work on3rd and michigan said it sounded and felt like a semi hit their building becuase the noise and explosion were so insanley strong!! It shook the building like there were made of paper. Also Miller park was shhok. Who knows if it did any damage, remember the bang up job that Mitsubishi (sp) did on that sturdy/strong roof.

Hopefully it ddint compramise the integrity of the stadium. I only sat that becuse the report I herd people said it shook really bad.:wow

[DirtyMax]

I was driving by on 94 East heading downtown shortly after it happened. It looked like alot of destruction. Sounds like they have everyone accounted for except 1 person so hopefully that last person turns up.

[Karps TA]

They're saying so far 2 deaths on jsonline.

[Teufelhunden]

The cause may have been a 160 lbs.-plus propane tank.

[DirtyMax]

I think it was a 160K lbs plus propane tank.

[johnny--2k]

TMJ4

Exploded after 8AM
Injured about 30
2 killed
1 still missing
4 serious/critical condition
Fire put out
Search continues for bodies and survivors
Warehouse Destroyed
30 cars destroyed
Felt as far away as Gelendale, Oak Creek, Even Racine.
Windwos shattered in buildings as far as 1 mile away
120 Fire Fighters on scene
Several Hundred working at Falk during explosion


Company dates back over 150 years in Milwaukee, another explosion happened in the 70's as well. Also have plants in Alabama, Australia, Canada, and here in Wisconsin. Pretty big company.

OK, Sorry for the list, typing while watching the news. This is some crazy stuff. I couldn't believe it when my mom called me and told me to turn on the news.

Prayers go out to all the families and workers, and to your uncle as well Scott.

[Crawlin]

Just heard that the explosion happened AS they were evacuating people since the tank had been leaking.

[Flicktitty]

I just got a call from a friend of mine dude did you feel a shake? I'm like uh no why was there a earthquake or something and he told me about this. it's pretty crazy!

[Nix]

http://www2.jsonline.com/site/photographerphotos/SlideShow.aspx?catid=343&N=1&photoid=3932


Pics...:)

[Silver350]

Three comfirm have been killed. Mention in the press update at 1pm

[Flicktitty]

Three comfirm have been killed. Mention in the press update at 1pm
yeah i just saw that, any more word on your family members?

[Silver350]

No I haven't heard anything yet. I even went to my parents at lunch to see if there was a message on the machine. Nothing. I am pretty sure he is fine seeing he called and said he was ok. I know he's alive that is all that matters right now.

[GRAMPS SS]

Just heard that the explosion happened AS they were evacuating people since the tank had been leaking.



my buddies father in law was working at the time...he smelt the gas and before he knew it he was thrown 30 feet...is in the hospital with no hearing and a concusion....he told his family that he wanted to go get people but the flames were to big and then someone dragged him out of the building.....

i'm sure all our thoughts and prayers are with all the families today

[Silver350]

Well I called my mom. She told me that she saw my uncle on the news at miller park. She also told me that He was in that building that exploded 5 minutes before it did but he smelled the gas and got out. When the explosion happened I guess it created a vacuum before it happened and he was thrown into the machine that he works on. My mom said he doesn't complain about anything even when he is sick so he is might be hurt but not enough to actually get looked at. I havent heard of anything else at this time. i will let you all know more when I know.

[GRAMPS SS]

glad to hear he is ok.....

[wikked]

TMJ4
Felt as far away as Gelendale, Oak Creek, Even Racine.
Windwos shattered in buildings as far as 1 mile away


I don't get it... I felt/heard nothing 35 blocks away. How the hell do you feel that in phucking RACINE! let alone Oak Creek...
The only thing I feel, is gypped =P

[Flicktitty]

when my buddy called he said he friend felt it in muskego.. i dounno

[jbiscuit]

you aren't going to feel that in racine....no way.

[93RedDevilZ28]

I know there is more than 3 people dead. The parts warehouse (the one that blew up) has about 10 people in it at any given time. I work in the main office building and was damn near thrown out of my chair when the tank blew.

A very ugly day indeed.

[scaleracer]

could feel the explosion in greenfeild high school felt like an earthquake!

[Cjburn]

I'm impressed by the response of our fire/police departments. It seemed to be coordinated well.

[Karps TA]

when my buddy called he said he friend felt it in muskego.. i dounno

I live in Muskego. About 7:30 I had a pretty vicious bowel movement. It could have just been that.

[Flicktitty]

^^^ LMFAO! wow......

[Teufelhunden]

I know there is more than 3 people dead. The parts warehouse (the one that blew up) has about 10 people in it at any given time. I work in the main office building and was damn near thrown out of my chair when the tank blew.

A very ugly day indeed. I'm glad you made it out ok. Anymore details?

[Silver350]

I know there is more than 3 people dead. The parts warehouse (the one that blew up) has about 10 people in it at any given time. I work in the main office building and was damn near thrown out of my chair when the tank blew.

A very ugly day indeed.

I am glad you made it out ok. My best wishes to your friends that got hurt in the blast. I wish them all the best during their recovery. Also my sympathy is with those families and friends that lost a love one.

[Yamahachick02]

I live in Oak Creek and it woke me up. I thought there was a car accident outside my house or something.

[03CVLX]

I am glad you made it out ok. My best wishes to your friends that got hurt in the blast. I wish them all the best during their recovery. Also my sympathy is with those families and friends that lost a love one.

X2 on all of that. My sympathies go out to everyone involved in this tragedy.

I have been a dispatcher for Milwaukee Fire for about 6 months now and have never seen anything of this magnitude.

To give everyone an idea of the equipment that responded to this explosion

4 alarm fire = 38 fire/paramedic units + around 20 private ambulances were sent to tend to the injuries. That number does not include Police/other departments that responded.

[Firefighter Z]

The company I work for has an account there for security...
So they called the place I work at and they had us checking the tanks and making sure there was no suspicious activity going on around them.

I guess there first thought was terrorism.

[RanJer]

I know there is more than 3 people dead. The parts warehouse (the one that blew up) has about 10 people in it at any given time. I work in the main office building and was damn near thrown out of my chair when the tank blew.

A very ugly day indeed.

If that's the case... where are the other 7 people/bodies? They gonna have to call in forensics to find the rest of the... remains? Wow.. I bet those families of the people missing are going through hell. I sympathize for those that lost family members, but there's closure. Just "not knowing" has gotta be painful. Wishes n prayers to those that are injured physically and emotionally.

[BadAzzGTA89]

Our shop off ryan road and 68th which is in Franklin had the lights shaking pretty good:wow

[BadAzzGTA89]

It was a 160,000 Gallon Propane tank that went up.

Here is a pic of a briggs employee i know standing in front of one of the 90,000 gallon units they took out of the burleigh plant!!!

So double the size of this one or so... I got 20$ that says there aint much left of the building!

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/6355/mvc031xab6.jpg
I hauled tanks like that talk about fun:eek:

[y2kws6]

I live in Oak Creek and it woke me up. I thought there was a car accident outside my house or something.


If it woke you up it must have been loud. LOL J/K.

BTW - Most sound in the Milwaukee area travels south. The sound reflects of areas and continues to areas with less resistance.
As stated by a new caster on the radio "The building that exploded was in a valley on the north most end and had a incline to the north" this would produce sound to bounce off the incline and direct it to the south.

There are multiple stories of people to the west and north that did not hear or feel anything, but shattered windows to the south.

Same thing happened when the 128th KC-135 Aircraft refueler blew up in 1993/94 (sometime)


Dan

[Firefighter Z]

I was in South Milwaukee at the time and I didn't hear or feel anything...

I heard on the radio that it was heard/ felt as far as Racine CO.

[93RedDevilZ28]

I was in South Milwaukee at the time and I didn't hear or feel anything...

I heard on the radio that it was heard/ felt as far as Racine CO.

Yep, my friend's dad said he felt it, and he lives in Union Grove.

There's not much more known at this point, other than what has been said.

I just love how the stupid news stations try to make stories out of nothing and are so over dramatic and ask the most idiotic questions.