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More images of the southern California wildfires from November of 2008. These were in Diamond Bar in LA County on 11-16-08.

This is from the CALFIRE website at the time:

An exclusive enclave of multi-million homes in Diamond Bar is being evacuated, according to officials at the Walnut Sheriff’s substation.

The estates are home to rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg and U.S. Rep Gary Miller as well as several other celebrities and sports figures. The Triangle Complex Fire that has already jumped from one city to another in the hills between Anaheim, Corona, and Chino has turned to the north Sunday morning, threatening homes in the Los Angeles County city of Diamond Bar.

Wind was driving fire west Saturday night, and threatened La Habra Heights (and for that matter, all the way to Rose Hills). Overnight, winds died, geography took over, and the fire went NNE through the Carbon Canyon “chimney”, to Diamond Bar by Sunday morning.

The gated Country Estates community in Diamond Bar was the first section firefighters decided to evacuate and by Sunday afternoon, 1,400 Diamond Bar residents were told to evacuate as the blaze pushed toward multi-million dollar homes and a Boy Scouts camp.

LA County Strike Team at wild land fire

LA County Strike Team staged. Larry Shapiro photo

Freeway fire in 2008

Another section where fire is burning in the hills alongside a freeway as the fire moves from Orange County into LA County. Larry Shapiro photo

Freeway fire in 2008

Fire is burning in the hills alongside a freeway as the fire moves from Orange County into LA County. Larry Shapiro photo

air tanker and spotter during wildfire

An air tanker follows his lead or spotter plane as he nears a drop site outside of Diamond Bar, CA in 2008. Larry Shapiro photo

air tanker and spotter during wildfire

The planes are flying over a very affluent section of the Los Angels suburb of Diamond Bar, CA in 2008. Larry Shapiro photo

On the evening of November 6, 2010, fire broke out in the back, second floor bedroom, of this late 1800’s apartment building in Chicago’s old Pilsen neighborhood.  In the days after the fire, family members speculated that the cause was a space heater, although a determined cause was never reported.

The result was the tragic death of a father and his young son.  The 3-year old was found in the same room as the fire’s origin.  The father had run back inside the burning apartment in an attempt to rescue his children and was successful in wrapping his one-year old daughter in a blanket before he succumbed to the smoke.  She was found lying next to him and the fact that her head was wrapped in the blanket probably saved her life.

I arrived to see her being rushed to the ambulance but was unaware of what else had happened.  The father would die several weeks later.  The picture sequence seems out of order but the less smokey images are actually from when I first arrived.  The fire eventually made it’s way into the attic and it was brought under control using an exterior attack from Tower Ladder 5, who was running a spare rig that day.

Chicago firemen battle fatal apartment fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firemen battle fatal apartment fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firemen battle fatal apartment fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firemen battle fatal apartment fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firemen battle fatal apartment fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firemen battle fatal apartment fire

Eric Haak photo

Steve Redick forwarded this video of the 4-11 Alarm fire in Chicago on April 29, 2007

Just after sunrise on Sunday morning, April 29, 2007, fire engulfed this old Chicago warehouse in the 2100 block of West Carroll on the near west side.  There is a great video on YouTube of the scene before companies even arrived which was filmed by residents living in the building at the end of the street.  The 100 x 250, 3-story heavy timber building was fully involved before Engine 26 and Truck 7 arrived, sending thick smoke throughout the neighborhoods for miles to the north.  The building was being renovated into lofts at the time.  I arrived in time to capture the second collapse of the sector 1 wall which you can see in the first two images.

 

Chicago firefighters battle warehouse fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firefighters battle warehouse fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firefighters battle warehouse fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Fire Commissioner Ray Orozco

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firemen in Snorkel basket

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firefighters battle warehouse fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firemen silhouette with Snorkel

Eric Haak photo

Chicago firefighters battle warehouse fire

Eric Haak photo

Chicago companies had a Still and Box alarm @ 4258 w Iowa on April 6th, 2013.  Fire looked like it started on the first floor and then extended into the 2nd floor and attic. Still companies were 117 and Tower 14. Wind was blowing really strong, which made it a little difficult for the companies. Here are some of my photos.

Josh Boyajian

Chicago firemen battle residential fire in two-flat

Josh Boyajian photo

Chicago firemen battle residential fire in two-flat

Josh Boyajian photo

Chicago firemen battle residential fire in two-flat

Josh Boyajian photo

Chicago firemen battle residential fire in two-flat

Josh Boyajian photo

Chicago firemen battle residential fire in two-flat

Josh Boyajian photo

Chicago firemen battle residential fire in two-flat

Josh Boyajian photo

Chicago firemen battle residential fire in two-flat

Josh Boyajian phot

The Dixie Square Mall opened in the south Chicago suburb of Harvey back in 1966 and at the time, it featured all of the “modern” comforts of a beautiful shopping center.  When looking at pictures from it’s grand opening, it is hard to believe that this could happen, but instead of becoming a mainstay of the community, the mall closed in 1978 and became better known for it’s appearance in the classic movie The Blues Brothers.  Yes, it is the mall that Jake and Elwood drove through during the mall chase scene.

It sat vacant for over 30 years and had many small fires set in it over that period.  On a hot July evening back in 2009, a larger fire was set in what used to be the mall’s center foyer.  It spread across the wooden eaves of the old J.C. Penney store which is the larger structure you see in the images.  There wasn’t much drama at this one and most of the work was done by Harvey’s tower ladder.

There were some interesting long lead-outs as hydrants were quite a distance away.  With temperatures in the mid-90’s and no exposure issues, companies took their time accessing these hydrants to supply the tower and a few hand lines with water.  It has since been torn down.

Harvey Fire Department battles fire at Dixie Square Mall featured in the Blues Brothers movie

Eric Haak photo

Harvey Fire Department battles fire at Dixie Square Mall featured in the Blues Brothers movie

Eric Haak photo

Harvey Fire Department battles fire at Dixie Square Mall featured in the Blues Brothers movie

Eric Haak photo

Fireman in E-ONE tower ladder basket

Eric Haak photo

Harvey Fire Department battles fire at Dixie Square Mall featured in the Blues Brothers movie

Eric Haak photo

Harvey Fire Department battles fire at Dixie Square Mall featured in the Blues Brothers movie

Eric Haak photo

Harvey Fire Department battles fire at Dixie Square Mall featured in the Blues Brothers movie

Eric Haak photo