Charlotte County firefighter experts speak on plane fires

Reporter: Justin Kase Writer: Rachel Murphy
Published: Updated:

WINK News Reporter Justin Kase spoke with firefighters who specialize in airplane fires to explain why airplane fires can be so challenging and require an immediate sense of urgency.

The images below are from an airplane fire simulation, which is separate from the plane crash on Interstate 75 Friday afternoon.

The airplane fire simulator sits minutes away from the Punta Gorda Airport.

It’s one of only two in the state where fire departments from all over Florida where training is conducted for plane fires.

“There’s definitely a sense of urgency when it comes to aircraft fires,” said Jennifer Truman. “You have to be able to make sure these people are able to get off the aircraft safely, evacuate them, and get the fire suppressed.”

Truman is a lieutenant with the Airplane Rescue and Firefighting team from Charlotte County Fire.

She couldn’t comment on the plane crash on I-75, but she said there are a lot of differences when it comes to fighting airplane fires as opposed to something like a home or car fire.

“You’re going to have a lot more people that are involved. On an aircraft, you have hundreds of people potentially involved,” said Truman. “One of our main concerns when we get to an aircraft fire is protecting means of egress for those members trying to get off of aircrafts, while also fighting the suppression, suppressing the fire.”

In these situations, Truman said there’s no time to waste.

“They have jet fuel in them and most of the time the jet fuel is carried in the fuel tanks in the wings of the aircraft. If there is fuel still onboard the aircraft, it will continue to burn either until we’re able to get it. If it’s a leak, shut off the leak, stop the leak, or until the fuel burns itself out,” said Truman.

The airplane fire simulator was used by various fire departments three days this week, including Friday.

WINK News spoke with Charlotte County Fire and EMS, asking if the fire department in Collier County has trained at the Punta Gorda location.

They said no; however, the Naples Airport Authority has done training at the facility.

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