Tankers were needed to bring a commercial building fire under control near Tea on Jan. 22.
At 5:10 a.m. the Tea Fire Department was toned out for the fire 1 1/2 miles west of Tea. The Harrisburg fire department was also dispatched in accordance with the automatic aid agreement. Before he arrived Assistant Chief Steve Oberle could see a working structure fire and requested additional water tenders from the Lennox Volunteer Fire Department.
Oberle arrived at the building and found heavy smoke and flames coming from the south half of the roof. The 80-by-100-foot post-frame metal building was subdivided into two areas with an office. The building contained construction material, equipment, small amounts of hazardous materials and automobiles. The temperature was -7 degrees with a light northwest wind.
A defensive attack was ordered using large diameter hoselines
Tea Pumper 1 arrived two 2 1/2-inch hoselines were placed into operations to prevent further extension of the blaze from the south section of the building. The roof was constructed of OSB creating intense heat and collapsed soon after arrival.
Tea Tenders 3 and 4 deployed portable water tanks and established a water supply to Pumper 1 for drafting operations. A total of six water tenders from Tea, Harrisburg, and Lennox established water shuttle operations.
The Harrisburg fire department filled water tenders with a portable water tower in the City of Tea. A county highway vehicle was ordered to sand the tender shuttle route for safe driving conditions.
Tea Truck 7 arrived on scene and placed a 75-foot aerial ladder into operation. The master stream was able to extinguish a large amount of fire, but the heavy volume of fire spread through the entire structure.
The Tea Fire Department remained on scene for several hours to extinguish hot spots and investigate the cause of the fire.
Units on scene included: Tea: Pumper 1, Tender 3, Tender 4, Truck 7, Rescue 5, Harrisburg: Tender 1 Tender 2, Water Tower 1, Support 1 and Lennox: Rescue 1, Tender 1, Tender 2
- Want to submit a photo story from a recent fire or rescue incident? Click here to learn how.
