Hot Shots 5/19

Upper Mahoney Township, PA, March 17, 2019—A chief from Klingerstown Fire Company arrived on scene to heavy black smoke and fire rolling from the A side of a two-story single-family dwelling along a rural road. He advised of a working fire and quickly upgraded the box to a second alarm. Herndon Fire Company’s Tanker 63 was the first-arriving unit on scene followed by Engine 10-10 out of Mahantongo Fire Company. Firefighters went to work knocking fire on the A side and then made entry. Crews found a smoke condition on the first floor, and as they made their way up the stairs, were met with heavy fire from a master bedroom. After a few minutes of intense attack, Command pulled the crew out as fire began to blow out the roof. Crews again made entry to the home, knocking the second-floor fire load. Crews then hit the remaining fire in the attic. During the fire, two dump tanks were dropped on the hard road, one being in front of the structure and the other just east of the home.

Photo by Seth Lasko

Ashland, PA, March 24, 2019—A fast-moving fire ripped through four row homes and a popular sandwich shop on Centre Street. Ashland Fire Chief Philip Groody requested the second and third alarms within 4 minutes of the initial alarm, bringing in apparatus from three counties as well as a tanker task force. A mayday was transmitted when a firefighter partially fell through a floor; however, the firefighter was able to quickly get out of the situation and the mayday was canceled. Two other firefighters suffered minor injuries while battling the blaze, which took two hours to bring under control.

Photo by JC Kriesher

Jersey City, NJ, March 18, 2019—First-arriving Engine 9 found smoke showing from the second floor of a three-story apartment building, and told the first-due truck to be ready to force entry. Firefighters initiated an interior attack, knocking down fire, but the already advanced fire was traveling fast and a second alarm was struck. Crews were forced off the third floor and then out of the building as the flames intensified and big lines were put into operation to knock down the heavy fire. Firefighters prevented the flames from destroying the attached dwelling. After the heavy fire was knocked down, firefighters went back interior to knock down the remainder of the fire.

Photo by Jon Tenca