Kansas Search & Rescue Dog Association, Grain Elevator explosion and collapse, Wichita, Kansas, 6/98 The Kansas Search & Rescue Dog Association was requested to respond by the Wichita Fire Department to a Grain Elevator explosion and collapse at 1048 hours on 6/8/98. The explosion had occurred approximately 1 1/2 hours prior to our activation. Our Disaster Trained Dogs from Topeka responded along with our Wichita group who provided overhead services. The response time to the scene was approximately 3 hours. Upon arrival we observed a grain elevator that was approximately 1/2 mile in length with extensive damage to the "headhouse", both ends, and the top of the facility. At 1458 hours Thunder and I proceeded down 25 feet into an opening that was part of tunnel 1. Both Thunder and I were in harnesses and secured by the Wichita Fire Technical Rescue Team. Upon reaching the bottom of the 8' X 6' tunnel we were joined by 2 other members of the Wichita Fire TRT. They also were using an infrared camera as Thunder and I began our search. As we began our search, Russell Pugh and his Dog Queen came down through the opening and proceeded east to search tunnel 2. Both tunnels were full of jagged metal debris and piles of Milo (grain) that ranged from 3' deep to ceiling height. There were many obstacles including what was left of the conveyor belt and track that runs the length of both tunnels. We were able to work approximately 100yards south in the tunnel before the Milo stopped us. We could see the light from the south end of the elevator from where we stopped. As we searched back to the entry point, we were encouraged to expedite our exit as there was a Tornado on the ground in the county south of us and the storm was moving our way. Both dogs exited the tunnels from the entry point as hail and debris fell from the top of the elevator. We were only allowed to search for live victims at the request of the agency in charge. At our suggestion, they allowed us to clear the fields south of the tunnels as concrete pieces had been thrown over 300' to the south of the structure. We had no live indications from our dogs in the tunnel and no live or cadaver indications from the field south of the structure. I debriefed the FEMA advance team prior to leaving the site at approximately 2130 hours. Paul David Meek

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