Fire fighters from Karbala, Iraq battle a fire along the crude oil pipeline West of the city from the late afternoon on into the night Aug. 1, 2003. The fire was begun by terrorists who shot two rocket-propelled grenades at the pipeline. Photo by: Lance Cpl. Nathan Alan Heusdens
Lance Cpl. Joshua Andrew Hanson, from Duluth, Minn., a heavy equipment operator assigned to 1st Naval Mobile Construction Battalion, C Company, uses his bulldozer to create birms to contain the burning oil, and pushes sand into the flames in an attempt to combat the fire outside Karbala, Iraq, Aug. 1, 2003. The fire was begun by terrorists who shot two rocket propelled grenades at the pipeline, and Hanson was rewarded with a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and a necklace from the city in recognition for his heroic five-hour battle with the towering inferno. Photo by: Lance Cpl. Nathan Alan Heusdens
Americans, Iraqis defeat blaze
Submitted by: I Marine Expeditionary Force
Story Identification Number: 200382023041
Story by Army Spc. Benjamin R. Kibbey
KARBALA, Iraq(Aug. 6, 2003) -- As impenetrable black smoke and scorching flames towered over the barren desert outside the city, local firemen, Marines and sailors prevented a potential environmental catastrophe after a calculated attack set a fuel pipeline on fire.
According to witnesses, a group of men pulled up in a vehicle Aug. 1 and fired two rocket-propelled grenades at an exposed valve in the crude oil pipeline that runs west of Karbala, Iraq.
The saboteurs accomplished at least part of their goal when the valve, which had been leaking for several days, exploded into flames, spewing unrefined oil onto the ground and creating a giant fire.
The first to arrive on the scene were Karbala firefighters, who were later assisted by firefighters from the nearby cities of Al Hilla and An Najaf. They began to make progress with a foam and water mixture, but oil continued to spread out onto the ground behind the firefighters.
Hoses had to be redirected from time to time to put out fires that sprung from the bubbling river of oil.
By the time coalition forces arrived - by following the black pall of smoke pouring from the western edge of the city -- the Iraqi firemen were low on water, fuel and flame retardant.
Army Sgt. Eric Urian, from Smyrna, Del., a member of the 304th Civil Affairs Brigade of Philadelphia, Pa. and the governate support team liaison to the fire department for 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, took charge of the situation. Urian called up military and civilian resources from around the city assist against the resilient force of the blaze.
Water trucks from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 and the city were soon refilling the fire engines as radio messages went out looking for any available pieces of earthmoving equipment.
As quickly as the Seabees could load up and truck out to the fire, they answered the call with a bulldozer driven by Lance Cpl. Joshua Andrew Hanson, from Duluth, Minn., a heavy equipment operator with the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, First Marine Division, out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Hanson dove into the flames and smoke, pushing sand and earth into the heart of the blaze in an attempt to smother and control it.
THESE GUYS ARE HEROES!! THIS IS NOT EASY WORK!!!