No Harm Done To Black Hawks Covered In Foam At Oklahoma Army National Guard

The foam accident at the Oklahoma Army National Guard base Tuesday is getting national attention and images and exclusive video are going viral.

The fire suppression foam that was accidentally released and covered several helicopters is cleaned up now, but Tuesday the foam showed how quickly it spreads and can put out a fire.

"It did exactly what it was supposed to do. It builds a great bit of foam in a hurry and excludes the oxygen,” said Captain Dan Heinrichs with the Tulsa Fire Department.

8/26/2014 Related Story: Tulsa's Army National Guard Base Accidentally Covered In Foam

The National Guard base in Tulsa was filled in 60 seconds. Exclusive video from inside the hangar shows the moment when a contractor accidentally tripped the fire suppression system.

Tulsa firefighters use similar tactics to fight fires.

Heinrichs said the contractor's mistake may have left choppers smothered, but Osage SkyNews 6 HD Pilot, Will Kavanagh, said the big mess didn't cause any real damage.

"Really what's going to happen here is the aircraft is going to get a wash, and we have to wash it every 30 days, so we will sign that off and we are good for another 30 days,” Kavanagh said.

Heinrichs said, "No. It's not harmful to breathe, touch. It's kind of like soap in a manner of speaking. It just creates suds. "

Suds that are powerful enough to suffocate heat and stop a fire from spreading.

"It cools it, it separates it and separates the fuel from the oxygen, smothers it so it puts the fire out. It's got multi purposes,” Heinrichs said.

Tulsa fire officials said there are dozens of types of foam that are used to fight fires; the ones firefighters use for a grass or a building fire are different than the soapy substance that filled this hangar.

"That's a specific foam that's designed to be used interior or enclosed spaces; you'll find those in a lot of military installations,” said Heinrichs.

While the contractor's crews were cleaning up a small dust devil spun up and tossed the foam even farther.

Aircraft mechanics said the unplanned bath didn't hurt the Black Hawks.