Tankers Staged for PA Parade Called into Action
By Mary Ann Thomas
Source The Valley News-Dispatch, Tarentum, Pa.
One resident of an Apollo house that caught fire on Saturday was treated for smoke inhalation and minor burns and at least one firefighter was treated and released for a minor injury, according to the Chad Gradwell, fire chief of Apollo Hose Company No. 3.
The blaze was caused by an electrical problem in the kitchen at 307 Wilson Way just before 5:15 p.m., the chief said.
Firefighters were able to quickly get at the fire because of the nearby help of tanker fire trucks lining up Saturday for a parade in nearby Vandergrift for the 125th convention of the Western Pennsylvania Fireman’s Association.
That was a good thing because there was a water main break only a few hours earlier on Orr Avenue in neighboring in Oklahoma Borough that knocked out the use of public water for firefighting, according to Apollo Mayor Cindee Virostek.
Gradwell said other nearby fire departments were also impacted and notified. So when he received the call about the Wilson Way fire, Gradwell knew he would need tanker trucks from other companies.
Gradwell called in nine departments that have tankers, plus had an additional company come for its manpower.
“We had everything available and already crewed-up because of parade,” he said.
About 40 percent of the home was damaged by the fire, according to Gradwell.
The home, which used to be broken up into apartments, is a single residence where about nine people lived.
The smoke alarm sounded after the fire started in the kitchen, everyone got out safely, according to Gradwell.
However, one of the residents, an unidentified man, went back into the house and came back out when he was injured.
The chef said he was taken by ambulance to West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh for minor burns and smoke inhalation.
Mary Ann Thomas is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact her at 724-226-4673 or [email protected].
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