Oil Tank Explodes at GM’s Milford Proving Ground

The General Motors Milford Proving Ground, located just north of Detroit is, at 100 years old, the first dedicated automotive testing facility in the world. The historic 4000-acre facility was shaken early this morning when an oil tank on the property exploded, damaging two homes nearby.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Brighton Fire Authority crews were dispatched to the site at 6:49 a.m. Said Chief Michael O’Brian: “The crews saw a large amount of fire in what we would call a leased area of the proving ground,” where there are “various wells of natural gas and oil that are leased to a third party. One of the tanks had a catastrophic failure and exploded.”

About two dozen fire trucks from multiple townships responded and had the resulting fire under control in less than an hour. The tank contained “oil as well as some additional things like brine water,” reported the Detroit News.

We asked GM for an official response, and this is what we received: “We are aware of an incident at the Milford Proving Ground involving one of the oil wells located on GM property that is leased and operated by a third party. Thankfully, no one was injured. We are aware of reports of potential property damage to the homes adjacent to the well, and we are still investigating. The Milford Proving Ground Response Team, the Brighton Fire Department, and other local agencies quickly responded, and the fire has been contained.”

According to GM, Milford Proving Ground has 150 buildings, and “test road surfaces equivalent to over 150 miles of two-lane highway, providing a wide variety of road-testing possibilities that simulate most road conditions a customer might encounter in ‘real world’ driving.” The facility includes a 3.8-mile oval test track. GM has similar proving grounds in Arizona, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Sweden, China, and Germany.