Man’s Bravery In Oil Fire

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27593, 25 February 1955, Page 11

Man’s Bravery In Oil Fire

. __ LONDON. February 23. A 56-year-old refinery engineer. Mr Thomas Brookbank, walked into a sea of flame four times today to turn off a red-hot valve and stop 1.000,000 gallons of petrol from flowing into an oil refinery blaze near London. The fire, at the Shell refinery. Shell Haven. Essex, has been put out. Mr Brookbank, wearing an asbestos suit, and sprayed with water, made the first attempt alone. He could not turn the valve and fought his way back to have his suit sprayed again. Two other asbestos-clad employees followed him on the second attempt. They could not see him although only a few feet behind him. It "was not until the fourth attempt that he could close the valve completely. Mr Brookbank’s fingers and his right wrist were scorched and blistered in spite of his asbestos gloves, and his nose was burnt. He refused any credit and said that the team work of the company’s and the county firemen beat the fire. But the Shell Company’s general manager, Mr E. le Q. Herbert, said: “They are three very brave men.” Nine Shell employees and seven firemen were injured. One had to go to hospital.