PALM BAY, Fla. – Fire crews in Palm Bay battled a 40-acre brush fire in the city’s “Compound” area on Saturday, with Palm Bay Fire Rescue later confirming the fire was accidental and had been caused by an explosion during testing by rocket enthusiasts.
Palm Bay Fire Rescue said it responded to the fire in the area of 2300 Irwin Avenue SW with assistance from the Division of Forestry, Malabar Fire Department, Brevard County Fire Rescue and Melbourne Fire Department, what came out to about 30 responding units in total.
Originally reported as 25 acres, the fire grew to a total size of around 40 acres before it was under control. It took about five hours to contain and closer to eight hours to “mop up,” Assistant Chief John Ringleb said in a statement.
According to a statement provided to News 6 by Steve Alban, vice president of the Spaceport Rocketry Association, the fire was started by UCF students — not a “local rocket club,” as Ringleb had initially claimed — who took it upon themselves to conduct an unsanctioned static motor test in the Compound after Alban’s association declined the students’ request for assistance.
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That was not one of our clubs events or rocket launch.
That was not even a sanctioned launch under the two governing bodies of Rocketry.
That was some students from UCF who were doing a static motor test.
These students have attended our launches and did request assistance from us on their project, but we declined. They took it upon themselves to conduct this on their own.
There is no other local club. We are the only ones who have a permit for our monthly launches not only from the city but the FAA as well and we carry insurance for a variety of things associated with our club.
Steve Alban, vice president of the Spaceport Rocketry Association | April 14, 2024 statement to News 6 (excerpt)
No structures were affected and no injuries were reported, firefighters said.
Check back with News 6 for updates.
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