A wrench and a spark shut down TAPS for nine hours

The April 20, 2016 fire took place at Pump Station 5, near Coldfoot. Photo courtesy of Alyeska Pipeline Service Co.A worker with a hand-wrench sparked the fire last month that shut down the trans-Alaska pipeline for nine hours.
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The fire, on April 20, forced the evacuation of more than 50 people working at a remote pump station near Coldfoot, at the edge of the Brooks Range.
Alyeska Pipeline Service Co., which operates the pipeline, is investigating the cause of the fire. Spok