Firefighters wrestle with 'green' fuel safety

A trend in home-based biodiesel production has fire departments Valleywide looking at ways to protect residents from hazards that come with the green-friendly process.

There's no way of telling how many people currently make biodiesel at home, fire officials say, but it is clear the trend is present and growing as gas prices remain high and more people adopt a green lifestyle.

The Gilbert Fire Department was one of the first in the Valley to take strides in promoting safety.

Last month, Fire Department Chief Collin DeWitt proposed an amendment to town code that would regulate the amount of stored biodiesel in a home and require residents to get a permit.

The permit, which would be free, would allow the fire department to have a record of where biodiesel is being manufactured, a benefit to firefighters if there is an incident at that house.

"My concerns were that if they're storing diesel fuel on site, it poses a hazard to our personnel," DeWitt said.

Across the Valley, fire departments are struggling to find ways to keep both their firefighters and residents safe from the potential of something going wrong.

Although the process for making biodiesel is relatively safe - biodiesel has to be heated to 140 degrees to burn - there are some dangers, DeWitt said.

Methanol, a main ingredient, is highly flammable.

Issues could also arise from mixing, disposing of, or just storing different chemicals.

Such was the case in late August, when fumes from chemicals used to make biodiesel caused an explosion and fire at a Surprise home.

The fire didn't spread to the entire house, but there was heavy damage to the garage door, officials said.

Kevin Pool, assistant fire chief for the Surprise Fire Department, said the incident sparked dialogue within the department.

"It's a safety issue for a neighborhood," he said.

He said although the fire was relatively minor, there was potential for more damage.

But what could anyone, besides the homeowner, have done to prevent the incident?

How to regulate - not to mention enforce - boggles the minds of fire experts.

In Scottsdale, the fire department is analyzing different types of regulation or policy, but nothing has been drafted, said spokeswoman Tiffani Nichols.

The Tempe Fire Department has also looked into how to keep residents safe, having investigated two biodiesel-related fires in the past few years.

In Gilbert, officials have begun drafting an amendment to town code that would limit the storage amount to 80 gallons of biodiesel and 10 gallons of methanol in residences.

But the idea of a mandatory permit for something that is of personal use only irks some.

Rupert Nelson, who owns $3,000 worth of biodiesel-processing equipment, opposes having to get a permit, even if it's free.

"I have a feeling this is just a way for them to get their foot in the door to regulate and eventually start charging us tax dollars," said the Gilbert resident.

It's not fair to limit the amount of methanol when other residents also keep flammable liquids, such as gasoline, stored in their boats and ATVs at their homes, said Nelson, who makes 40 gallons of biodiesel monthly for his Ford F-350.

He suggests a voluntary program through which residents self-report.

Bob Winters, fire protection engineer with the special hazards unit of the Phoenix Fire Department, said he doesn't think mandatory permits will fly with Phoenix residents.

Like his counterparts in other Valley cities, Winters has been working to find a way to enforce safety in biodiesel-producing homes.

"We're playing catch-up because it's new," he said. "Code is always reactionary."

Winters thinks a co-op program for people who produce biodiesel is an ideal way to get the word out about safety while not infringing on residents' privacy.

"It's kind of our mentality that a person's home is their castle and we don't invade," he said.