A man required “extensive decontamination” before he could be flown to a hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries he suffered after an oil tank failed, sparking a fire in Hyannis, officials said.
A fire or explosion at 105 Ferndoc St. in Hyannis was reported to police around 2:23 p.m. on Friday. Fire and smoke could be seen coming from the building when first responders arrived, the Hyannis Fire Department said in a statement.
A Barnstable police sergeant quickly determined a man was trapped inside the building and the first arriving firefighters rushed inside to attempt to rescue him. The man was quickly found and pulled into a waiting ambulance, according to the statement. The man required “extensive decontamination” and was flown to a Boston hospital by medical helicopter with life-threatening injuries.
The fire was sparked by the failure of a waste oil storage tank, which released a “substantial amount” of oil and other fluids.
Massachusetts Environmental Police and Barnstable’s health and public works departments worked to limit the effects of the oil released after the fire, according to the statement.
