Three of the victims were killed in one truck and a fourth died in a fertilizer truck carrying ammonium nitrate. Other vehicles were also involved in the wreck. All four dead victims died from burns.

LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

SAN CARLOS, MEXICO (EmergencyNet News) - Three people were injured with burns after a gas-carrying tanker truck exploded into a huge ball of fire on a road east of Mexico City late Thursday, badly damaging three vehicles. The incident occurred about 25 miles east of the capital. The truck was loaded with cooking gas under pressure.

According to the Federal Highways Police, the tanker truck had a mechanical failure and the driver "slowed down and drove it off the road where it caught fire and went up."

Excerpted from: ERRI EMERGENCY SERVICES REPORT-EmergencyNet NEWS Service-Saturday, January 24, 1998 Vol. 2 - 024

CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY (EmergencyNet News) - Camden firefighters battled two extra-alarm fires early on Wednesday. One fire destroyed a rowhouse and damaged two others and the second blaze struck a large paper-recycling plant. The causes of both fires are still under investigation by the state fire marshal, the Camden Police Arson Unit and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

The first fire started shortly after midnight at 953 South Ninth Street. One occupied rowhouse was destroyed by flames and two adjoining houses sustained damage. The blaze was brought under control at 0115 EST.

EUROPE AND CANADA

CALGARY (EmergencyNet News) - The Calgary Fire Department battled a 3 alarm fire at the Lorraine Apartments, located at 620-12 Avenue S.W. on Saturday morning. The blaze started at 0538 MST. Heavy smoke conditions were reported on the third and fourth floors of the 4-story building upon arrival of the first fire companies. The Calgary FD responded to the scene with 15 pieces of equipment and 34 firefighters.

Firefighters quickly gained access into the building and immediately began and evacuation. In all, between 40 and 50 residents were safely evacuated from the fire building. Two males were rescued via ladder from a third- floor balcony. These two men sustained minor smoke inhalation and were transported to an area hospital by EMS.

Initially, an interior attack was attempted by firefighters, but a false ceiling above the fourth floor allowed to fire to extend throughout the structure. Firefighters were forced to back out and conduct an exterior attack.

Possible Food Poisoning in Frisco

SAN FRANCISCO (EmergencyNet News) - At least 63 people at a San Francisco hotel were sickened with symptoms resembling food poisoning on Sunday morning. SFFD paramedics were called to the Grand Hyatt hotel at about 0330 PST to treat one person, but over the next few hours, firefighters were called back to the hotel to treat an increasing number of sick guests, seven of whom were transported to hospitals. Several were treated for "dehydration" and released.