Chapter 788 - 512 All Are Bubbles

Seafood Stall.

Fang Huai’s face was full of smiles, constantly talking to everyone, occasionally discussing matters about Fire Protection Law with Cao Gang, but his feet under the table tapped incessantly on the ground.

He looked at the time again and again; it was already seven o’clock.

Everyone was eating more vigorously, but there was still no news from Dalian New Port.

He vaguely knew that the explosion occurred around six or seven o’clock.

According to his expectations, such a big event would definitely be known by the Liaoning Brigade cadres hosting them at the table.

But until just now, unable to hold back, he had asked Cao Gang and learned that the attendees were all from the legal affairs office, and the leader who was most aware of their presence, the Political Commissar of the brigade, was away on a business trip and not in Liaoning at all.

Dammit, the legal affairs office isn’t even part of police dispatch.

Fang Huai was growing impatient inside, and just as he thought of finding an excuse to go to the New Port, his cell phone rang.

Seeing the incoming call, Fang Huai’s heart sank.

Surely, something serious had happened.

At a table of four or five Liaoning Brigade cadres, he was the first one to receive the news.

The person on the call definitely wouldn’t call him for no reason; even since the day he had stored the official’s phone number in Beijing, he had never imagined this number would dial his cell phone proactively.

Fang Huai quickly gestured for silence to everyone around and stood up with his phone.

The table fell silent within three seconds, and Fang Huai’s first words left them stunned.

"Hello, Leader Liu, how are you!"

From the other end, Leader Liu’s crisp voice came:

"Little Fang, just now I heard the Liaoning Brigade report to Director Yu that your two experimental squadrons are in Dalian for an exercise?"

"Yes, sir! Any tasks?"

As Fang Huai spoke, noticing the shocked expressions around him, he turned on the speakerphone and placed it on the table.

Leader Liu’s serious voice continued:

"Where exactly? Haven’t moved far, have you?"

"Reporting to the leader! Right in the city, just finished dinner!"

Then suddenly Director Yu’s cold voice came through: "You haven’t been drinking, right?"

Obviously, Director Yu was well aware of the local reception procedures.

But at this remark, the cadres from the legal office and a few who had clamored for drinks during the meal broke out in cold sweat.

Fang Huai immediately straightened up: "Reporting to the director, not a drop of alcohol! We are conducting an exercise! How could we possibly drink!"

Leader Liu then resumed the conversation:

"Excellent! How much force is mobilized?"

"Forces from Hunan and Guizhou, the whole combat strength of two experimental squadrons! Plus the professional team, about 130 people, 18 vehicles!"

"That’s great! I and Director Yu are together! We are now assigning you a challenging task! An explosion has occurred at the Dalian New Port oil depot pier! The state takes this very seriously! The department and the bureau have specially ordered your two squadrons to head to the oil depot immediately! Cooperate with the Dalian Brigade and fully control the fire! Director Yu and I will be heading to Dalian right away, and soon, perhaps Mr. X will also arrive! We hope to hear good news from you by the time we get there!"

Mr. X?

Especially the Second Squadron, some were startled: The one from Jiwei Mountain last time, coming again?!

Damn, could Captain Fang possibly have some sort of leadership-summoning technique?

Yet Fang Huai merely glanced at everyone.

At that, all stood up immediately.

Fang Huai answered solemnly, "Please rest assured, sir! We guarantee to complete the task!"

"Good! Awaiting your victorious news!"

The call ended.

Fang Huai wasted no more words, looking at everyone: "Understand the task?"

The entire long table responded simultaneously, almost shaking the roof: "Understood!!"

"Deploy immediately!"

...

The preparation was swift, mainly because all the fire trucks that raced from afar were empty and had to find fire hydrants along the way to fill several foam trucks and high-spray with water, ensuring the first outflow capacity at the scene.

As for the water supply trucks, which took a longer time to fill, they could take their time filling up and then come; if pressed for time, they could even be filled on site.

Beforehand, he had clearly researched; Dalian’s resources were not lacking, the brigade had two long-distance water supply trucks and a corresponding system.

A long-distance water supply system could, in theory, supply 10 tons of water per minute and could support eight 80mm hoses at maximum capacity.

Typically, a foam fire truck has 7 tons of water, fully loaded with 3 tons of foam; if not mixing foam solution but only using onboard guns to spray water, seven tons of water could last about six minutes. An 80mm hose, at maximum pressure, could supply over a ton of water per minute; thus, one setup of the remote water supply system could support 8-10 trucks in a continuous, maximum outflow.

Facing a fire that could shock the nation, Fang Huai was not too optimistic, as he did not believe the water carried on their trucks would provide much help.

Even if they arrived fully loaded, under maximum pressure, they couldn’t last long; it mainly depended on the water supply system.

The only difference between water added outside and inside was:

If the situation inside became urgent and the two sets of water supply couldn’t keep up, orders might be given to draw seawater.

In principle, seawater, with its high salt content, was not to be used as it severely damages the water pump.

But tonight, under such circumstances, probably all fire trucks couldn’t be too picky.

...

PM, 7:33.

The onsite handling at New Port was effectively a losing battle.

Not from handling failure, but because the fire developed too rapidly.

Inside, 100,000 cubic meters of crude oil in tank 103 blazed sky high, and a tear had appeared in the tank’s northeast corner. The spewing oil emitted a sharp sizzling sound; the oil that came out instantly caught fire, creating a large area of flowing fire; several nearby tanks were also being scorched.

Cooling tank 103, protecting the surrounding large tanks, would require four or five water cannons to accomplish, and they also needed to chase down and block the rampaging flowing fire; the 12 squadrons from the city, with 27 water trucks, were already struggling to keep up.