Temporary closure of Carlin fire academy now permanent

Tom Gardner

Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2000 | 6 a.m.

RENO, Nev. - The temporary shutdown of the University of Nevada, Reno's much ballyhooed Fire Science Academy in Carlin is now permanent.

Water quality problems that forced the interim closure in July are worse than first thought and will force an end to all operations Nov. 17, UNR President Joe Crowley said Wednesday.

"We regret having to close the academy, but under the current circumstances, we are unable to provide our clients the high quality training they expect to receive and we expect to deliver," he said.

The problem centers on the academy's water-treatment system, which is designed to catch gasoline and diesel fuel runoff during training involving fires in such on-site locations as a jetliner, railroad cars and a four-story oil refinery.

A groundwater sample taken June 13 showed a reportable level of the petroleum byproduct benzene. A second test turned up traces of the gasoline additive MBTE, although they were one-tenth of reportable levels.

During efforts to identify the source, several operational problems were revealed. After an assessment of the system, academy management decided to discontinue burning effective July 31.

The school since has sued the owner of the facility, All Star Investments of Sacramento, over alleged design flaws. All Star claims it built the academy to UNR specifications. The university has leased the facility for $230,000 a month since it opened in March 1999.

Because of the litigation, people at the Carlin facility were not allowed to discuss the closure.

Requests for comment were referred to Brooke Nielsen, assistant general counsel for the University and Community College System, who did not return telephone messages left with her voice mail.

The $27 million complex on 426 acres along Interstate 80 west of Elko had attracted hundreds of firefighters and rescue squads from around the nation in its first 18 months of operation. It was expected to attract $150 million to the rural county in northeastern Nevada during the next 15 years.

"We had a lot at stake," Elko County Commissioner Nolan Lloyd said. "The local motels have built up to accommodate the expected business from that facility. It's going to hurt us economically."

He said the county had contributed more than $450 million worth of land, which it leased to the academy for $1 a year.

Lloyd added that he thought the firefighting agencies needed the training too much to let the academy remain closed.

"I think it will be back in business. There's too much at stake for them to just walk away from it," he said.

Elko Mayor Mike Franzoia agreed that fixing the problem seemed to be the obvious answer.

"With something new, you're bound to have problems. I'm sure the university has experienced things like this before and can get the facility open after the situation is mitigated."

Crowley said in a statement that the university was committed to resuming operations as soon as possible.

Lloyd added that while the various sides were pointing fingers at each other, "there is a flaw in the system. Somebody wasn't aware or didn't fully analyze the system when it was constructed."

The facility will conduct non-burning classes through Nov. 17 for 85 students. The suspension of burn classes and the impending closure will affect more than 1,600 people enrolled through December 2001, the university said.

Fifteen of the facility's 24 employees will be phased out through the end of the year while the remaining nine will maintain and secure the campus and instruct off-site classes or provide consulting services.