[UPDATE 7:55 p.m.] Major Explosion in Manila; ‘Structure on the Ground’

A “structure is on the ground” and there are several victims following an explosion on Young Lane between Manila and Arcata, according to scanner traffic a little after 5 p.m.

According to the Incident Commander at the scene, “We do have signs of a major explosion. Two burn victims at local hospitals and a third unconfirmed and unaccounted for.”

UPDATE 5:12 p.m.: Firefighters are being asked to acknowledge that there is not only hazards from downed power lines but also hazard from “butane.”

According to the Incident Commander, “Three potential victims from this incident have not arrived at the hospital and are still not accounted for.”

Also he is asking for a backhoe.

UPDATE 5:14 p.m.: The burn victims are at Mad River Hospital, according to dispatch.

UPDATE 5:21 p.m.: 

Emergency vehicles at the scene of a possible butane explosion.

Emergency vehicles at the scene of a possible butane explosion. [Photo by Mark McKenna]

UPDATE 5:36 p.m.: According to a reader who sent in these photos below taken about 5 p.m., “We live around a mile away and felt the explosions before the smoke came up.”  She says, the “flames have since died down a little….Neighbors are also saying it’s the sheds not the houses”

She also reports a dog was found running loose. “There is also a black lab that a bystander seen running from the [area] where the structure is,” our reader said. “She put the dog in her car and is trying to look for the owner.”

fire in Manila

fire in Manila

UPDATE 7:55 p.m.: More photos from the scene from Mark McKenna.

Firefighters attempt to extinguish a hot spot under one of the collapsed walls of the trailer.

A firefighter leans in to his crewman’s back to help with the pressure from the hose.

Crews used pikes to get at a hot spot.

 

The smoke column from the fire could be seen from Eureka.

Fire crews attempt to extinguish a stubborn part of the fire under a collapsed wall of the trailer.

Fire crews surveyed the scene.

Sparks fly as a firefighter cuts into a collapsed wall of the trailer.

Crews continued to work multiple hot spots on the collapsed structure.

Two firefighters take a brief break for water and new air tanks before returning to work.

Facebooktwitterpinterestmail

Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules

Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

43 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
stormy
Guest
stormy
7 years ago

As long as the community (i.e. neighbors/media) tolerate drug “culture” this will never end.

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
7 years ago
Reply to  stormy

As long as the government creates an illegal market for drugs through prohibition, you’re gonna have a drug culture.

Dee
Guest
Dee
7 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

Yep many home distillers blew themselves up during prohibition, that moonshines like gas!

Patriot in Willits
Guest
Patriot in Willits
7 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

Stupid people will continue to do stupid things whether that activity is legal or not. Proper ventilation is not a crime.

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
7 years ago

If hash oil cost the same as olive oil, I don’t think that people would be blowing their trailers up to surreptitiously produce it.

Visitor
Guest
Visitor
7 years ago
Reply to  stormy

As long as the police ignore the drug labs due to limited manpower, cost , and the inherent danger to the officers, these labs will continue to operate. The war on drug producers/labs ended in 2012. Arrests now days are for possession, not manufacturing!

I see more possible vigilante actions in the near future that will spring up, as neighbors will have to police their own neighborhoods. Otherwise, our environment will become more and more polluted with all of these toxic chemicals, and you will have no choice but to move on to survive!

Ernestine
Guest
Ernestine
7 years ago
Reply to  Visitor

Hash labs typically use alcohol, butane [or ice water]. So,no more camp stoves for you.

Tall Trees
Guest
Tall Trees
7 years ago
Reply to  Visitor

To the Visitor: Right, the cops and firefighters just “ignore” the problem. What a fucking stupid assessment.

Visitor
Guest
Visitor
7 years ago
Reply to  Tall Trees

To the Tall Trees: Don’t put words in my mouth. I never referred to firefighters. This isn’t a “fucking stupid assessment”, as you so rudely assumed. This is a true life fact. Do your research before you decide to unload your foul mouth at someone.

There is no more federal money allocated (since 2012) to process and clean up these drug labs when they are busted. With an average of $2,500 to $5,000 for cleaning up and disposing of the chemical waste and residue, local government agencies do not have the funds. Thus, the labs are being IGNORED. This is happening all over the country. Read about it online!

What we are seeing in this country is our controlled substance abuse and the criminal activity that goes with it, is eventually going to catch up and possibly surpass the age old problems we have with alcohol.

What will we do to change this? It is not going away on its own! Especially if we ignore the root of the problem.

3rd Degree Dabs
Guest
3rd Degree Dabs
7 years ago

When will people learn? What does it take? I ask these questions and then I remember people still do meth. I’m so completely shocked the punishment for this isn’t severe. The same punishment for manufacturing and setting off a bomb should apply here. This is coming from someone who is not against cannabis. I really hope nobody innocent was hurt.

THC
Guest
THC
7 years ago

Actually making honey oil is already a felony.

Anitahilllied
Guest
Anitahilllied
7 years ago

Butane ah they must have been refilling lighters

Melinda
Guest
Melinda
7 years ago

Those are awful. We had a good one here in Rio Dell recently.

Spurious Truthyist
Guest
Spurious Truthyist
7 years ago

‘No… it’s NOT dangerous to fill a room with butane fumes while the pilot lights are on in multiple appliances….’ I swear, you guys who do this are really stupid. You don’t have lab safety training, you don’t have the right equipment, and yet you get mad when someone freaks out about you doing this! I really wish there wasn’t such a disconnect in the world about common sense…. I wish certain friends would get the message when they read about these massive explosions and burn victims- but hey, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY THINK THEY KNOW….. well, I WON’T stick around while you do it!
Another little tidbit is, how much butane are you inhaling while you’re cooking it? Does it even matter if you are ‘purging’ it, when you are constantly breathing it while processing?
Finally, by doing this to a plant with 30 odd terpenes, you lose the value of those… kinda like stripping the goodness out of food…..

anny
Guest
anny
7 years ago

All it takes is the tiny spark from throwing light switch.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
7 years ago

I was told that an incoming call on your cell phone can also set things off.

Deerlick
Guest
Deerlick
7 years ago
Reply to  Anonymous

Myth busters could not get static discharge from a cell phone to work.

sharpen your pencil
Guest
sharpen your pencil
7 years ago
Reply to  Deerlick

But it makes for such a great myth!

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
7 years ago
Reply to  Deerlick

Well the Myth Busters in Alderpoint said it worked lol

Veterans friend
Guest
Veterans friend
7 years ago
Reply to  Anonymous

Your refrigerator compressor starting can make a spark that ignites the fumes.
This kind of crime should have an added charge of assault on firefighters.

John
Guest
John
7 years ago

Rex bohn just approved a hash lab close to airport. Somehow he knows equipment is safe but said nothing about training for operators.

Just Saying
Guest
Just Saying
7 years ago
Reply to  John

It’s not a butane lab they proposed. Geez. Pay attention and stop spreading fake news.

Just Saying
Guest
Just Saying
7 years ago
Reply to  John

Oh, so Bohn is the only one person approving labs? Another fake news item.

Futurethoughts
Guest
Futurethoughts
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Anonymous comments are the problem. Make all comments have a real name.

River Rat
Guest
River Rat
7 years ago
Reply to  Futurethoughts

future thoughts, if that is your opinion start with yourself.

THC
Guest
THC
7 years ago
Reply to  Futurethoughts

Stop taking everything you read on the internet has a fact and research it for yourself.

Janice
Guest
Janice
7 years ago

Remember a few months ago when those two students blew up their car in Arcata? So young and now screwed for life. Common sense has absolutely gone by the wayside.

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
7 years ago

I hope they weren’t renting.glad everyone is ok

Heather
Guest
Heather
7 years ago

I drove by there attempting to get to my own home in Manila about 20 minutes ago and the smell was nauseous and overwhelming. I could not stay in the area and had to turn around and leave. I’m getting a hotel room for the night and I worry that there’s toxins in the air for the Neighbors. I’m surprised that there has been no evacuations done for the neighborhood.

lauracooskey
Guest
7 years ago

Better a black lab running than a hash lab running!

Janice
Guest
Janice
7 years ago
Reply to  lauracooskey

Good one!

The Bean
Guest
The Bean
7 years ago

I heard the explosion in my yard in Eureka near Henderson Center. Sounded like it was only blocks away. Scared me and my dog. Noise from the ocean does travel far here though. We hear fog horns, waves crashing, and boat horns from our house.

John Brown
Guest
John Brown
7 years ago

A house was destroyed by a propane explosion near Fort Bragg a few years ago. Pretty spectacular! Completely flattened, block walls broken and knocked out of line. A friend heard it at a distance of at least 2 miles. A leak in a line filled the house with propane and it was ignited when someone entered and turned on a light switch. He survived without serious injury as did his dog. He later stated that he had a funny feeling turning on the switch wasn`t a good idea. Should have followed his intuition……

Perhaps the moral of the story is that not every building that explodes is the result of nefarious activity.

Athena Egan
Guest
Athena Egan
7 years ago

Excellent pictures Mark McKenna.

mold breathers
Guest
mold breathers
7 years ago

I thought photos had an impressive clarity as well.
Re : lab in manila? Are we surprised?

Honeydew Bridge Chump
Guest
Honeydew Bridge Chump
7 years ago

Manila should just be returned to dunes. Nothing good has ever come from there. Pretty sure you have to be a felon to live there.

Perspective
Guest
Perspective
7 years ago

Your medication seems to be working at the moment.

Cass
Guest
Cass
7 years ago

I came from there and thank goodness I left there!

Work smarter
Guest
Work smarter
7 years ago

It’s called Rosin , people!!! Heat pressed and solventless!!! Why make all the weed haters say “see told you so” when we have safe alternatives!?!?!?!

Hey kids Get a hair straightener and some bubble bags and get to work and stop blowing up the neighborhoods and yourselves.

Harwood
Guest
Harwood
7 years ago

Kym, you are the best! A good, safe New Year to you and yours!😎

River Rat
Guest
River Rat
7 years ago

The world is always turning It’s just that sometimes, it spins in the wrong direction.