Firefighters donned special protective clothing Friday night to put out a fire at SuperGen, Inc., a drug development company at 1059 Serpentine Lane in the Stanley Business Park off Valley Avenue.
Faced with large HAZMAT (Hazardous Materials) warning signs on the large office and laboratory building, firefighters from the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department moved cautiously into the building to attack the blaze. Company employees worked with LPFD officers and their HAZMAT team during the operation to ensure that any exposure was kept to a minimum.
Once discovered, the fire was escalated to a second alarm at 6:15 p.m. because of a large number of chemicals in the building. At one time, eight fire trucks were called to the site although only three were eventually needed to extinguish the blaze.
According to its website, SuperGen employs research scientists in small molecule drug development and novel therapeutics to treat and cure life-threatening diseases, including cancer. Through its development pipeline of several promising compound classes at various stages of development, the company is developing and commercializing new drug candidates for oncologists, hematologists, and their patients.
Firefighters said that although the blaze was extinguished quickly, the facility sustained some water damage because the overhead sprinkler system was activated.
Comments
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Apr 18, 2009 at 6:55 pm
on Apr 18, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Sounds like the fire sprinklers succeeded.
They are automatic, probably just the ones over the fire activated before the firefighters even got there. Story doesn't say, but they probably also sent in the alarm.
Why does the headline mention water damage?
That's not the story.
Water damage is usually MUCH less than fire damage in an unprotected building, which could have involved much more of the building and it's hazardous contents. The story might then have been injured firefighters, occupants, or even neighbors.
If the building burns to the ground no one mentions water damage.
And what do you think the fire Department will use to extinguish a fire?
If the building is involved when they get there, Water from a big hose!
One fire hose stream is about 250 gallons per minute.
A fire sprinkler is probably more like 20 gallons per minute.
One important function of the Fire Department is salvage- they sweep or water vac out the water from the floor, and take steps to minimize water damage, after the fire is out.
Maybe PW can find out how many sprinklers were activated, what was the cause of the fire?
Livermore
on Apr 18, 2009 at 9:06 pm
on Apr 18, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Thank you PFD! You've been trashed by lots of residents of Plutonia because they believe that you have too much free time to shop, cook and watch TV.
I think that it's time for citizens to thank the PFD! VIVA!!!