Drone helps keep firefighters safe dealing with anhydrous tank leak in Winamac

No injuries were reported after an anhydrous tank leak Sunday in Winamac. 

According to a Facebook post by the Winamac Volunteer Fire Department, firefighters were dispatched just before 5 p.m. on Sunday on a report of a possible anhydrous tank explosion in the middle of a nearby field.

When firefighters arrived at the scene a drone was deployed to safely check the area around the tank and see if any other people were nearby, while keeping emergency responders at a safe distance. Nobody person was found to be in the field or near the leaking tank. 

Further investigation with the drone showed the tank had not exploded, but instead was leaking heavily from the front hose. Firefighters were advised that the tank was nearly empty at the time. Sunday's calm weather conditions and no immediate threat to safety meant firefighters were able to maintain a safe perimeter and continued to monitor the situation from a distance rather than send crew directly into the hazard area. 

Once the tank was emptied, Keystone crews approached and secured the tank. 

The Winamac Volunteer Fire Department further stated in the post that the drone may look like a toy, but this is a perfect example of how valuable it can be to help emergency responders be able to quickly assess the situation, identify the problem, search for possible patients, while keeping crew members safe.

Photos of the drone footage was provided by the Winamac Volunteer Fire Department.