DETROIT, MI, OCT. 24, 2013 – Companies from the 5th Battalion responded to a fire in a vacant dwelling. On arrival, a two-family flat was found heavily involved with fire extending to another two-family flat and an occupied, four-story apartment building. Defensive operations were started on the original fire building. Chief 5 then requested a second alarm. Water tower operations were set up on the two vacant two-family flats involved while companies preformed an interior attack on the exposure apartment building with fire on the third and fourth floors. An aggressive attack was performed on the apartment building and defensive operations continued for two hours to control the fire involving the original buildings. Five engines, two trucks, two squads and three chiefs responded.
Photo by Dennis Walus
BUFFALO, NY, OCT. 8, 2013 – Firefighters were called out to battle a fire in a fully involved, 2½-story frame dwelling. A fallen power line that was down in front of the structure hampered firefighters, who kept flames from involving exposures. Eventually, the entire house collapsed. Firefighters used a tower ladder and three 2½-inch handlines to control the fire. Two additional engines and a ladder were called to the scene. One firefighter was injured and transported to a hospital. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Photo by David F. Kazmierczak
LOS ANGELES, CA, OCT. 5, 2013 – A Santa Ana wind-driven wildfire was halted by a massive response from Los Angeles City, Los Angeles County and U.S. Forest Service firefighters. Twenty engine companies, five hand crews, five helicopters and two fixed-wing tankers halted the fire as it jumped all lanes of traffic on Interstate 5 being pushed by strong winds and low relative humidity. Winds gusting over 30 mph could have made this fire into a disaster. The Los Angeles City and Los Angeles County fire department had augmented their staffing to prepare for the wind event.
Photo by Jeff Zimmerman
HOUSTON, TX, OCT. 5, 2013 – Houston firefighters waged a two-alarm battle with a blaze that gutted a large antiques mall on the city’s far southeast side. One of two large buildings at the family-run business complex was heavily damaged during the early-evening blaze.
Photo by Tom McDonald
NEW ORLEANS, LA, SEPT. 5, 2013 – A five-alarm fire destroyed a large vacant warehouse and two dwellings. No injuries were reported. The cause was undetermined.
Photo by Chris E. Mickal
NEW WESTMINSTER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, OCT. 10. 2013 – Fire ripped through a heritage building in the downtown core, destroying a dozen businesses. Fifty firefighters from the New Westminster, Burnaby and Delta fire departments battled the blaze for several hours.
Photo by Shane MacKichan
LOS ANGELES, CA, OCT. 16, 2013 – One man died and a woman was injured when a fast-moving fire swept through their one-story North Hollywood home. Forty-four firefighters confined the flames to the structure and extinguished the blaze in 15 minutes. Firefighters discovered human remains in the living room that were believed to be those of the injured woman’s 79-year-old husband. Seven engines, three trucks and four rescue ambulances responded to the scene.
Photo by Rick McClure
