Story & Photos by LOU WHEELAND Firefighter/Photographer, Cetronia Fire Department

Cetronia and Woodlawn Fire Departments were dispatched to a dwellling fire at 3515 Union Street Tuesday, September 17th around 8:30 pm in South Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.

The first responder on the scene, Don Flickinger, Cetronia Fire Police Captain, notified incoming uints of fire showing from the rear of the dwelling.

Cetronia Engine 311 arrived on the scene immediately commencing an interior attack led by Deputy Chief Jason Kehnel and Captain Bryan Wheeland, backed up by Firefighters Melissa Millhouse and Dennis Cintron.

The interior attack crew encountered heavy smoke and heat conditions as they made progress into the home.

Once inside, Captain Wheeland recognized the conditions leading to a dangerous "flash-over" and ordered the interior crew to exit immediately.

Once relocated to a safe area, the crew was able to re-enter the dwelling and extinguish the large volume of fire in the kitchen and dining room area.

An exterior line, manned by Lt. Jay Heicklen, was used to help control the fire spread through a side kitchen window.

Aerilascope 331 was set up in an adjacent driveway and provided ventilation and additional hand lines for small fires in the eves of the roof.

Firefighter Ron Thomas manned the "bucket" of the aerial truck.

Other arriving units from Woodlawn, Greenawalds and Western Salisbury went into action immediately and supplied additonal back-up and overhaul crews.

Aboout 65 firefighters in all were involved in controlling the fire.

Cetronia Ambulance Corps established a rehabilitation area for the fire crews on scene.

The cause of the fire appears to have been cooking grease left unattended in the kitchen.