Story & Photos by JASON COLEMAN-COBB

For the second time in less than a year fire has devastated the same block in Harrisburg, PA.

On September 6, 2002 at 1645 hours Dauphin County Fire Communications dispatched Task Force 1 to 28 S. 18th Street, located in the fire scarred Allison Hill section, for a reported structure fire.

D platoon firefighters responding on the first alarm were Squad 8, Wagon 4, Tower 1, 3 under the command of Captain 2.

Tower 1 arrived on the scene and advised of a working fire with heavy fire and smoke conditions.

As units were preparing for an interior attack and search a second alarm was transmitted at 1649 hours with Wagon 3, Tower 2, and York Co Rescue 69 filling the box.

The fire was located on the first floor of a 3 story middle of the row frame dwelling that within minutes spread to a common loft and extended into the exposures at 22,24,26,30 and 32 S. 18th Street.

As conditions deteriorated Harrisburg Bureau of Fire Chief Don Konkle (Chief 1) struck the third alarm at 1707 hours.

This brought in mutual aid companies that had relocated into empty city stations on the second alarm.

Engine 301 (Penbrook), 37-1 (Susquehanna Twp), Truck 34 (Paxtonia), and Truck 12 (Lower Allen) staged the apparatus and reported their manpower to command on side 1 of the structure.

Multiple attack lines were being deployed in to the exposures and trench holes were being cut but the fire had already extended to the roof area.

As fire began to vent from the roof all members were ordered off the roof and shortly after evacuation tones were sounded withdrawing all firefighters from the burning structures.

Master streams from the buckets of Tower 1 and 2 as well as the stang gun from Squad 8 darkened down the heavy fire and crews re-entered the building to soak hot spots.

The fire was declared under control at 1806 hours with T 456 (Chambers Hill) and Rescue 44 (Lawnton) being called to assist with extensive overhaul operations.

The blaze, which is being attributed to unattended cooking, left 28 people homeless and caused major damage to all six homes in the row.

On Halloween of 2001 an early morning three-alarm blaze started at 18 S. 18th Street and spread to the attached exposures which have since been demolished.

Fire officials speculate that the most recent homes damaged in the fire will also be razed.