05/23/13 | 03:28 | FATAL 2ND ALARM | ALLENTOWN | BOX 4435 | 2427 S. 4TH STREET | FIRE ON TOP FLOOR AND THROUGH ROOF OF APARTMENT BUILDING | TOWER LADDER IN OPERATION | MULTIPLE LINES STRETCHED | PERSON FOUND DEAD MAY NOT BE A FIRE VICTIM | 1 FIREFIGHTER INJURED AND TRANSPORTED TO HOSP VIA EMS
Allentown, Pa. - Allentown Box 2744 was transmitted for 2339 Fairview Street on a structural fire. Engines 10, 9, 11, Truck 2, Engine 6 (F.A.S.T.) and Bn 43 (J. Hess) responded on the box.
Battalion 43 arrived and reported smoke showing from a 1-story S/F/D. Companies found a porch fire that extended to the attic of the dwelling. Hand lines were stretched while Truck 2 members went to the roof to open it up.
Two additional engine companies were called to the scene for manpower, making this fire a 2nd alarm equivalent. Engines 4 and 13 were assigned as the additional companies.
This was the 2nd fire for the 1st platoon Friday night. The platoon is working with less firefighters because they are under-staffed during this shift.
We have compiled a few videos from the deadly fire in Pottsville Sunday night into Monday morning. The fire was in the 200 block of Pierce Street in a single-family-dwelling (S/F/D).
One adult escaped the raging flames but left behind two adults and four children.
The video above was shot by Fire Photographer J.C. Kriesher.
Easton, Pa. - Easton station 20 was dispatched at 19:53 hours for a reported house fire with possible entrapment at 1074 W. Wilkes-Barre Street. Arrival of the first due engine reported fire in the eaves of a 2.5-story duplex. A person that was in 1074 escaped the fire before the firefighters arrived.
Wilson Borough 24 was requested for R.I.T. at 20:05 hours. With fire rapidly extending, Wilson Ladder 24 was requested at 20:12. Command also requested an Engine and Ladder from the City of Bethlehem. Bethlehem City was short an engine for the evening so they could only send Ladder 1.
Easton off-duty firefighters were called to the scene. Palmer Township sent apparatus to the city to cover city fire stations.
Wilson Ladder 24 was set-up for an elevated water stream on Wilkes-Barre. Wilson also had an engine in the rear alley with multiple lines stretched. Bethlehem Ladder 1 staged at Berwick and Packer. The supply line to the Wilson engine in the rear alley was delayed due to a dead hydrant on Berwick Street. Companies tied into another hydrant and eventually found a working hydrant.
Easton had two engines positioned in front of the duplex with multiple lines stretched. Command eventually had the evacuation tones sounded and all members were ordered out of the dwellings. The attack went defensive shortly after arrival.
Allentown, Pa. - 10:23 AM Allentown transmitted box 2118 for 941 Hamilton Street sending Engines 9, 6, 10, Truck 2, Battalion 43 (Held) and Engine 4 as the F.A.S.T. company.
Engine 9 arrived first to a 6-story 20x80 Occupied Multiple Dwelling (OMD) and reported nothing showing from the front and had people outside. They went in to investigate and found smoke on the 3rd floor. They ordered a line to be stretched and all firefighters into the building for search and rescue.
Police officers in the rear of the building reported people hanging out of windows and rescued one person from the third floor. Smoke was pouring from the rear of the building.
The second alarm was transmitted bringing with it Engines 14 and 13. Members stretched into a third floor apartment and quickly extinguished a kitchen fire.
All other searches came up negative and the building was completely evacuated without further incident.
Allentown, Pa. - Box 5117 was transmitted at 4:03 PM for a house fire with possible entrapment at 1019 Wyoming Street. The assignment consists of Engines 11, 9, 14, Truck 2, Engine 4 (F.A.S.T.) and Battalion 43 (Wehr).
Enroute, dispatch advises the police are on location reporting an active fire. Battalion 43 signals smoke showing from the 8th Street Bridge. When he arrives, he transmits a working fire in a 2-story duplex with fire on side 3 (rear). Engine 4 arrives as the F.A.S.T. company and the Captain reports heavy fire in the rear.
Chief Wehr reports a possible propane tank on fire. The first-due engine stretches into the main fire building and Engine 14 stretches a second line to the exposure. The fire appears to have started in the rear of 1017 and spread quickly to side 2 (1019). Both dwellings were heavily involved.
At 16:10, Battalion Chief Wehr strikes the 2nd alarm, bringing in Engines 6, 13, Air 1, Chief 40, 46, 48 and 47. Engine 10 was moved up to Central Station to cover Engine 4.
Ladder 2 was positioned in the rear alley and put their master stream in-service. Engine 11 and 9 were positioned in the front of the building and Engine 6 was positioned in the alley with ladder 2.
A total of 5 lines were stretched and operating. The fire was under control by 17:15 hours. All searches were negative.
Allentown, Pa. -At 7:15 AM Box 2536 was transmitted for 228 N. West Street for a house fire sending Engines 10, 4, 9, 6 (F.A.S.T.), Truck 2 and Battalion 43 (Henrick).
Engine 10 and Chief 43 arrived and reported heavy fire on the 1st floor of a 3-story Middle-Of-Row (M/O/R) and called it a working fire. Crews stretched a hand line and knocked down the fire on the porch and advanced in to the interior.
Battalion Chief Henrick struck the 2nd alarm for an additional 2 engines, engines 11 & 14. Volunteer companies were called to stand-by at their respective stations for the city.
Crews quickly darkened down the bulk of the fire and conducted searches on all 3 floors and those searches were negative. Companies gained entry to the adjoining homes to check for extension.
Companies operated on the scene for about two hours overhauling and assisting the fire marshals office in their investigation. Chief 46 (Laubach) was requested to the scene with his K-9 partner to assist in the investigation.
Photographs by Dennis Wetherhold Jr.and Mike Nester.
Coal Township, Pa. - On Monday March 18, 2013 at 09:20 hours the Coal Township Fire Department (Maine, Union, Forrest Hills, East End, Brady, and Fairview Fire Companies,) Coal Township Rescue Squad and AREA EMS were dispatched to 516 Webster St. in Coal Township for a house fire. The incident was located in the Ranshaw section of Coal Township.
Kulpmont Fire Chief 200 who lives across the street informed the dispatcher it was a working fire. He can see smoke and flames coming from the 2nd floor of the rear of the home. The fire continued to spread quickly and began to move to the attic and the roof. The fire was located on the left side of the double home. Neighbors assisted an elderly woman who lives next door out of her home to escape the fire.
The Coal Township Fire Chief arrived on the scene and established incident command. The fire quickly spread into the attic and start to spread into the next door home’s attic. He then quickly requested the second alarm to the working fire in the double home structure. The second alarm brought Shamokin Ladder 32, Shamokin Rescue 62, Shamokin Liberty Engine 21 and the remaining of the Coal Township Fire Department.
Brady Engine 151 was on scene first and established a water supply from a hydrant at 6th and Webster Streets. Union Engine 131 arrived and established a water supply from a hydrant at 5th and Webster Streets. The Engine 151 crew deployed a number of hose lines and made an offensive attack to stop the fire. Fire fighters enter the home with multiple hose lines to find and attack the fire. The Maine Fire Company Engine 111 established third water supply at 6th and Main Street and laid into the scene. Engine 111 staged behind Engine 151 and sent its crew to help with the interior attack. Shamokin Engine 21 staged to the rear of the structure on Maple Street. The additional arriving fire fighters assisted the first engine crews in stretching a hose line to the rear of the residence to attack the fire from the rear.
Incident Command assigned the additional arriving Coal Township and Shamokin units to assist the first in companies in fighting the fire. Command then had Mount Carmel Rescue and Kulpmont Engine 221 respond to the scene to assist with RIT operations. The third alarm was then placed on stand by for a possible response to the scene.
Shamokin Ladder 32 staged on the Alpha-Delta Corner of the home and sent its ladder to the roof. The Ladder 32 sent its crew to the Side Alpha to throw ground ladders and to do ventilation. The additional Shamokin rescue and engine crews backed up the attack crew and entered the next door residence and stopped the spreading fire in the attic.
The attic of both homes became well involved and began to vent through the roof on the home on the left. In minutes the conditions in both homes attic worsen with chance of a major collapse becoming possible. Incident Command then activated the evacuation signal and had all personnel leave both homes. In a matter of minutes the fire vented from both homes roofs causing a collapse into the second floor. Command then ordered multiple large hose lines and portable master stream monitor placed into operation. Engine 151 used its deck gun to shoot water at the large flames coming from the roof. Ladder 32 then placed its elevated master stream into service and aimed for the collapsing roof. The Kulpmont Engine 221 and Rescue 5 arrived on the scene and its crews to the front and back of the home to provide RIT operations.
It was then learned that a water pressure problem surfaced and started to hamper the master stream operation. Command then ordered a number of tankers trucks to the scene to establish an addition water supply. Tanker trucks from outside Coal Township were brought in and established a shuttle system. A refill site was the established on Route 61 near the Walmart.
The next twenty minutes of master stream operations caused the flames in the attic to disappear. The smoke and fire conditions in the rest of the home improved and allowed for and interior attack. Fire fighters re-enter the home with hose lines and attacked the fire in the second floor and attic. Fifteen minutes later the fire fighters had the fire under control. Fire fighters remained on the scene for a few hours to mop up and prevent rekindles. AREA EMS stood by on scene and provided rehab to the cold fire fighters.
Video, Photos and Story by our Coal Region Correspondent Stephen Barrett.
Emmaus, Pa. - At 11:53 AM Lehigh County Fire Radio transmitted the box for 36 South 5th Street for a building fire sending Station 7. As it was being dispatched, police radioed the Comm Center requesting the fire department to that location. The officers were attempting to rescue tenants from the burning building.
The first-out engine had heavy smoke visible from the fire house and requested the 2nd alarm transmitted. At 11:57, Lehigh County struck the 2nd alarm sending stations 7, 28, 30, Rescue 1-41 (F.A.S.T.), EMS 62 & 66.
The fast moving fire trapped multiple tenants. Witnesses said a 52 year-old woman was unable to get out, three more were unaccounted for. 4 people were found dead inside the charred remains.
Command ordered all firefighters out of the building and commenced a defensive attack. The roof of the building partially collapsed.
Allen Township, Pa. - Thursday evening at 7:32 PM Northampton County companies 45 (Allen), 47 (Lehigh) and EMS 49 were dispatched to ProtoCAM, 3848 Cherryville Road in Allen Township, Northampton County for a structural fire.
On arrival, crews found heavy fire from the 1-story commercial building. The second alarm was transmitted at 19:43 sending companies 46 (East Allen), 44 (Walnutport), 48 (Klecknersville Rangers), Ladder 42-21 (F.A.S.T.)
Crews had bulk of the fire darkened down in 30 minutes. The fire is under investigation.
North Whitehall, Pa. - 8:46 AM Lehigh County sent Engines 12-11, 16-11, Whitehall 39-12, Ladder 16-31, Tanker 12-21 & 16-21 to the area of Rt.145 and River Road for a house fire with numerous calls received. Laurys Station Engine 12-11 requested a 2nd alarm as they went responding from the station.
The second alarm was transmitted at 08:54 requesting Tanker 22-21, Rescue 22-41, 11-41 for the F.A.S.T., Norco Engine 47-12, Rehab 66-51 and EMS 67.
Crews found a 1-story manufactured home fully involved. Engine 12-11 pulled into the long driveway and stretched numerous hand lines.
Bulk of the fire was darkened down 25 minutes later and crews went to work with extensive overhaul.
The property has a "for sale" sign posted at the driveway and fire officials are treating this fire as suspicious. Investigators called in the Fire Marshal's office from the City of Allentown to assist in the investigation.
Companies from North Whitehall, Whitehall and Lehigh Township assisted at the scene.
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