Note: The security bars covering the windows had been added to the windows on the inside of the house.
As units were checking up on the air responding to 1800 block of Addison Rd. for an townhouse fire, communication received calls reporting occupant trapped inside.
Chief 8 D. McGill arrived and was advised by the victim's friend that she just saw him knocking on the windows and disappear into the smoke. Chief 8 advised communications to tell the Squad to report to side one.
Engine 261 under the direction of Capt. J. Brinkley arrived and advanced an attack line to the townhouse. The fire had taken control of the kitchen, living room, and dining room. Engine 261's crew started knocking the fire in the living room, working back toward the dining room and kitchen. As the crew entered the house, a flashover occurred, rolling over the crew's head going in the front door.
Firefighter C. Saunders was burned during this attack on the fire. The efforts made by the crew from 26 directly affected the rescue efforts, and the protection of the crews making the rescue.
Squad 27 under the direction of Lt. J. Lyon arrived and divided into two teams. When the Squad crew arrived at the front of the building Lt. Lyon was directed to a bedroom window by F/F Fisher. F/F Fisher had arrived from company 8 prior to Squad 27 and had forced the bottom part of the security bars open on the one window.
Lt. Lyon called Lt. Truesdell to this window. F/F Fisher pushed open the bars from the bottom creating an opening just big enough for Lt. Truesdell and Lt. Lyon to enter head-first squeezing by the bars. F/F Fisher had to physically push the two through the opening.
Squad 27-team two entered through the front door at the same time and started the search from that point. F/F Burley and F/F Copley search the living room and dining room working their way to the hallway that led to the bedrooms.
Lt. Truesdell and Lt. Lyon did a quick search of the room, entered the hallway and turned left heading to the other bedroom. Entering the room, the two went left and Lt. Truesdell came across the victim almost under the big bed room window.
This window was between the bedroom that the trapped victim was reported in, and the living room. The dining room was on fire.
The victim was turned over and pulled away from under the window by Lt. Truesdell and Lt. Lyon. At this time Lt. Lyon took his mask off and put on the victim. The bedroom window glass was broken out to help start venting the room and to remove the victim. Lt. Truesdell yelled to the crew outside they needed to get the bars off the windows. Chief 8 entered the bedroom at this point from the hallway.
Lt. Truesdell and Lt. Lyon grabbed the victim and started to follow Chief 8, at this time going down the hallway and into the living room and found that going out of the front door was not an option.
F/F P. Burley and F/F K. Copley-co 27 entered the room at this time with Lt J. Cardello from Engine 83. Lt. Cardello used his hook and after repeated attempts pulling at the top of the security bars was able to break the top free. At this point F/F K. Copley, P. Burley, F/F from company 8, Lt's Cardello, Truesdell and Lyon lifted the man over the security bars and worked to pass the victim to A/C T. Berneski, F/F D. Belfield, T. Llewellyn from company 27.
Crews had to be very careful due to the bottom part of the security bars was still attached while removing the victim.
