Pennsylvania Chief's Daring Move Saves Firefighters
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SWATARA TWP., Penn.-- The huge blaze last week at a Swatara Twp. bowling alley almost overcame two Steelton firefighters who were pouring water on it from an aerial bucket.
Their chief's quick decision to move the aerial truck while they were still aloft in the bucket, an unconventional and dangerous move, got them out of harm's way.
Steelton Fire Lt. Milton Carnes says that every day for the past week, he has replayed in his mind the biggest fire he's ever fought. Last Wednesday, Carnes and J.R. Miller were working from an aerial bucket, pouring water down into the fire that eventually gutted the ABC East Lanes, when fire broke through the roof and raced toward them.
The men aimed their hose at the flames, but the fire kept coming, Carnes said.
"The smoke changed from light gray to dark gray to black to greenish yellow. It got real hot and the fire got real loud, like a volcano with a lot of energy. The fire seemed to suck the smoke in and blow it out harder and harder. I never saw a fire like that before. I looked at J.R. and said, 'We need to get out of here.' He agreed," Carnes said.
Then, in an act that has the firefighting community buzzing, Steelton Fire Chief Gene Vance saved his men by driving the aerial truck about 50 feet -- with Carnes and Miller in the bucket, with the boom extended, stabilizing jacks down and hoses attached, pouring water.
"It was an absolutely risky move that worked," Harrisburg Fire Chief Donald Konkle said. "There was a huge risk of the truck tipping over. Fortunately, the chief backed up straight, the boom was parallel to the chassis, which kept the weight centered over the wheels, and the stabilizing jacks on the sides may have put the weight lower and wider, helping to balance things out."
Carnes, a longtime volunteer firefighter, said he knew firefighters had a big job on their hands when they arrived at the bowling alley about noon and saw smoke billowing. The Steelton crew set up its aerial truck on the Highland Street side of the building, and Carnes and Miller went to work.
"We went to the roof," Carnes said, "but we never got on it. Instead, we worked from our aerial bucket and cut vent holes. When we made the first hole on the roof, thick, black smoke came out. We cut a second hole in the side and flowed water through it for a few minutes."
Fire broke through the roof on the far side of the building where firefighters were working, and flames raced toward the men.
Vance and Assistant Chief Brian Handley watched in horror as Carnes and Miller, engulfed in heavy smoke, maneuvered the bucket away from the fire. Then the roof began to collapse.
"We needed to get our guys out of there. They were in smoke and fire, parts of the building were exploding, sounding like bullets. We pulled the jacks up a few inches, then I backed the truck up about 50 feet with the aerial still up and the hose attached," Vance said.
Carnes said he and Miller "couldn't see because of the smoke. We felt the truck lurch as it moved. When we heard the backup alarm, I knew Gene was getting us out of there. We crawled down the ladder and got out. We came real close to getting hurt."
"A lot of people talked about our moving the truck. I'd do it again. It saved our guys. It saved our truck. You do what you have to," Vance said.
Republished with permission of The Patriot-News.
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