Morale tents gutted in Iraq fire

[Barrett808]

Morale tents gutted in Iraq fire
By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer

A fire Saturday in Iraq that engulfed two big tents and sent a thick column of black smoke into the desert sky destroyed a bunch of recreation equipment used by the 29th Support Battalion of the Hawai'i National Guard.

The morale, welfare and recreation tents at Logistical Support Area Anaconda about 50 miles north of Baghdad housed a TV room/karaoke parlor, fitness machines and weight room, library, pool table and kitchen.

Maj. David "Duke" Kahanu, the 29th Support Battalion's executive officer, said the fire, reported about 8:30 a.m., likely was due to an electrical short. No one was injured.

Within five minutes, two large circus tents that housed the equipment were fully engulfed in fire, and efforts to limit its spread were not possible, said Kahanu, a fire captain with the Honolulu Fire Department at the Mililani Mauka station.

Kahanu wasn't able to lend his expertise to the firefighting effort; he had returned to Iraq from Rest and Recuperation leave that evening — about 10 hours after the fire.

"The soldiers here are now motivated to get the tent up and running again, so we can enjoy the comforts we once had," Kahanu said by e-mail.

(more)

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Aug/16/ln/508160349.html

[Teaser]

1. There's a metaphor in this

but I'm too depressed to unpack it.