: - ? * _ rn > STANDARD PRINTING CO XXX LOUISVILUS, KENTUCil* 49233 T WEEKLY Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 19, 1978 15 CENTS F ire clean up continues * By KATHY M. NEWBERN More than one week following the Winslow Oil Company fire, officials continue to estimate damages, reconstruct the occurrences, and direct overall clean-up operations. Julian Winslow, owner of the local Union 76 distributorship, said com pany losses have not been totally determined, but nine of the 11 oil tanks were lost while some product is still in the remaining two. Also lost in the fire were the company's % offices, a warehouse, three y transports and three service trucks. ' Cash in the building, which Winslow estimated to be "several thousands" was also destroyed along with the company's records. The figure reported previously of about $600,000 outstanding in ac counts receivable is considered by Winslow to be approximate. Winslow pointed out that the com pany is operating out of temporary offices in the downtown Peoples Bank building. The phone number remains the same. Winslow Oil Company is continuing to provide service to its customers, though somewhat limited, with the help of its Elizabeth City office, Hollowell Oil Company of Hertford, and two Edenton companies, Congo and Crawood. Winslow added that the company is appealing to its customers to bring into the office any account statements received through the last of December as well as any delivery tickets from the first of January through the time of the fire, which occurred Jan. 10. Winslow said, "We feel sure that the people will come through." Winslow also added that the com pany has reached a definite deci sion to relocate it's bulk plant out side of Hertford, but still within Perquimans County. He added that company offices will remain in town. Concerning relocation of the oil companies which has been talked about, Hertford Mayor Bill Cox made the following statement, "The Town of Hertford has made some effort in the past to seek funding to relocate these companies. We were not successful. But it's not something new we're thinking of. The town feels it's time to renew their efforts. This would have to be a cooperative effort with the oil companies involved and the town, state and federal governments." While local officials considered this move prior to the fire, local fire fighters also did some pre-planning in case a fire ever occurred at the site. Charles Skinner Jr., Chief of the Hertford Volunteer Fire Depart ment, said, "We had planned for this emergency." He explained that pre-planned training has been used with an actual on-site maneuver carried out previously. In a two-hour interview, Chief Skinner recently outlined the ac tions taken by his department and * % those assisting in the Jan. 10 BLEVE. Skinner explained that BLEVE is an acronym used by the National Fire Protection Associa tion. The letters stand for "boiling liquid expanding vapor explosions." .4 Response from other area fire* departments was no accident, Skin ner explained. The Albemarle Firemen's Association, a 10-county organization, has had a mutual aid program in existence since 1970. The agreement allows each member department to assist on the scene, remain on stand-by, and move up to additional stations to provide assistance. No departments will respond unless an order is issued by a department officer. Chief Skinner was that authority Jan. 10 when he put out a general alarm for assistance minutes after arriving on the scene. Skinner said his first reaction "was to call for help." The fire chief and it was his deci sion to let the fuel bum itself out, trying to prevent it from spreading into the river. Only between 16,000 and 17,000 gallons escaped into the river. While that figure sounds high, it only represents the contents of less than one of the exploding vertical oil tanks. A total of 230,000 gallons of different fuels were estimated to be contained in the 11 tanks at Winslow's. While the origin of the fire still has not been determined, specula tion exists that fuel somehow escaped from the two trucks unloading at Winslow's that morn ing, covered the ground was then somehow ignited by a spark, possibly from static electricity. Fire, law and business officials in i volved say the origin may never be known. In looking back over the BLEVE at Winslow Oil Company, injuries were kept at a minimum. Eight firemen received minor injuries with Chief Frank White, Chief of the Center Hill-Crossroads Department receiving a separated pelvis and fractured ribs. In addition to the damages at Winslow Oil Company, Farmer's Feed and Seed, an adjacent business, was totally lost "except for partial insurance" according to Lloyd Lane, part owner. The business's grain tanks survived in tact. That business is now operating at J&N Supply Company in Winfall. At Reed Oil Company, losses were kept at a minimum. Damage was done to the company warehouse, a dock and pier no longer in use. For resident T. Erie Haste Jr., whose home is located within 10 feet of the oil farm, losses only included the garage and playroom above, two vehicles and minor damages to the house which as a whole was saved. Clean up operations at the fire scene are continuing. Alliance group reviews activities By KATHY M. NEWBERN Looking to the past and preparing ? for the future wwvU?e underiying theme of the Alliance for Progress Board of Directors meeting held Jan. 5 in Perquimans County. Presiding was outgoing chairman R.S. Monds of Hertford. The look into the past came as the board reviewed its activities and accomplishments to date including planning next steps in several on going projects. Alton Elmore reported on pro gress made by the AFP computer committee to obtain a centralized computer system for the six-county Alliance. He explained that four of the six counties have allocated $2,500 this year and next for a direc tor of the project. Applicants for the position are being screened with the final decision resting with a com mittee representing all counties. A feasibility study for the project was favorable. In the area of community educa tion, Pat Harrell, Superintendent of Perquimans County Schools and committee chairman, reported that a six-county project was funded for an lfl-month period. Those funds will be used to obtain a director with some limited funds anticipated from each county to coordinate the services. Additional funding for other phases of the project is being sought. Larry Ivey, chairman of the Ac cess to Mainstream project com mittee turned the program over to the program director for an update. It was noted that the AFP program in this area has been funded to pro vide training for projects in Nebraska and Alabama and to pro vide 10-12 training sites in North Carolina. It was noted that direct services will be provided to Per quimans and Chowan counties through the Albemarle Mental Health Center and four counties re main in need of these direct ser vices. Additional funding sources are being considered for the home work with handicapped children qualifying for the program. Another $40,000 funding was awarded to the Home Based Early Education project. Dr. J.H. Horton reported on the Elected Boards Institute, an on going Alliance project which presents programs of interest to boards of education and county commissioners. Horton expressed a. feeling that the program, while good in the early stages, has been "exhausted" and advocated abolishing it. Also discussed was the Leader' ship Development Program funded by Rockefellar Foundation. Alliance is now in the process of developing a second phase of the program to work in the area of policy making. The first phase en couraged development of leader ship training in administrators and other educational personnel. A pro posal for a second phase has been submitted to the foundation. Pro gress in the area will continue pro viding funding is realized. A large part of the meeting was devoted to discussion and future directions of the narrative and in terpretive history of the Albemarle Region, another continuing project. A suggestion that the project report be published in area newspapers in serial form was received favorably. Closely connected to that project is the 3,810 acre site for an outdoor DONATION RBC1IVED ? A check representing a |AM donation to the local chapter of the American Bod Cross was presented Jan. 11 to help offset ex penses of provisions provided to firemen in the Wiaslow Ofl Company fire. Shown above