sadam had bought mines and anti personnel devices from all over the globe. >> it was the nasty stuff, these things that pop up when you put foot pressure on them and take you off at the kneecaps. >> reporter: and putting out the fires was only half the problem. once a fire was out the teams then confronted an out of control oil gusher. >> the problem was that the well itself had been damaged. so there was no way to shut it off. so if you put the fire out, now you either had gas or you had oil still spewing into the environment into your face. >> why don't the crews wear goggles? because it is easier to wipe your eyes than to wipe goggles. a run-away gusher could be capped but never easily. this particular operation took place in august, in 120-degree heat. the cost in money of this epic battle would finally total out at around $2 million. saddam's revenge fire succeeded in wiping out three percent of kuwait's oil reserves. but also a cost in lives. two journalists and three oil fieldworkers were killed when their vehicles were cut off by fire and incinerated. a sixth man died when he