On Wednesday, September 17, 1980, a north bound train derailed near the East Warren Road crossing in Custer City. Twelve tank cars carrying crude oil and four box cars derailed and caught fire. The fire department was dispatched at 9:40 P.M. and responded with three pumpers and two tankers. Fire Chief Howard Warfield immediately called for mutual aid. Fire was spreading a quarter of a mile long and 500 feet wide, endangering several homes. In addition to 13 fire departments at the scene, Witco Refinery of Bradford, responded with a foam pumper and additional supplies of foam, and United Refinery of Warren, PA, responded with a foam trailer. Sixty-five residents of homes in the immediate area were evacuated to the Bradford Area Senior High School. Plans were also made to evacuate the Hannum Memorial Rest Home, ½ mile away. Chief Howard Warfield declared the fire under control at 1:30 A.M. Thursday. Bradford Township firefighters left the scene 22 hours after the initial call. Two hundred fifty firefighters manning 36 pieces of apparatus responded to the scene. Nine other departments were on standby. Over two miles of hose was used during firefighting operations. Over 1,750,000 gallons of water was pumped onto the tank cars. Firefighters used 2,045 gallons of AFFF foam and 30 gallons of high-expansion foam. Over 205,000 gallons of crude oil was lost in the fire, but another 62,869 gallons was recovered.