On October 24, 2004 at approximately 2230 hours, Truck Co. 8 transmitted thier "Home Box" via a radio alarm for a 2 story row house with fire through the roof across the street from thier quarters.
Heavy fire was showing from the second floor and through the roof of four attached vacant row houses with exposures on both sides.
Engine 16 pulled out of the firehouse and set up their squirt. Truck 8 pulled straight across to the fire building to ladder the second floor. The rear of the ladder truck was still inside the bay of the firehouse.
Battalion 5 arrived and struck the second alarm. Moments later the evacuation order was given and exterior attack was underway. DC1 arrived and struck the third alarm with a special call for two additional engines, followed by the fourth alarm.
Ladder pipes and master streams operated as heavy fire ran across the cockloft of the row.
Embers landed on the roof of the firehouse, located on the A side of the fire. A deck gun was turned towards the firehouse roof as a line was stretched up to knock down the fire.
Fire also extended into a three story occupied frame on exposure D.
The fire involved 470, 472,474-A, 474-B, 476 and 478 Ferry Street with minor extension to the roof of Engine 16/Truck 8's quarters. Mutual Aid from Hudson County and Essex County covered the City.
