Photos/Story By Frank Jordan, EMS Chief

January 5, 2002 at 13:33 hours St. Tammany Fire District 4 in Mandeville, Louisiana responded to a commercial structure fire at 70459 Highway 59.

Three pumpers, a ladder, two ambulances, one heavy rescue and a hose tender were initially dispatched to the incident.

The first unit on scene reported a large warehouse type structure (50,000 square feet) fully involved.

Due to a non-existent water supply in the area and the size of the structure involved, mutual aid assistance was requested for water supply and manpower.

Fire District 12 supplied three pumps, one heavy rescue, a 5,000-gallon tanker and eight firefighters.

Fire District 3 came in with 5,000 and 3,000-gallon tankers and three firefighters.

Fire District 8 supplied 2,500 gallons and two firefighters.

The first in pump laid one large diameter attack line and began attacking the fire from the east side of the building until additional attack lines could be laid.

The next in pump laid another large diameter attack line.

The crews initiated in interior attack with the large diameter lines.

Thirty-nine minutes after receiving the call, the fire was extinguished with no injuries or loss of life.

The fire was contained to the area of origin due the aggressive interior attack initiated by the first arriving firefighters.

The cause and origin of the fire are still under investigation.