3/21/2020- Just after midnight, Chicago’s 15th Battalion landed at 38th and Ashland (3752 s Ashland) and reported he had a working structure fire. After nearly 20 minutes, he requested a Still & Box as he pulled all members out to go to defensive operations. A68 transported one member in serious condition to the hospital after an incident inside the fire building. Three 2.5″ lines were led out and three aerial master streams were also utilized. TL39, AT8, and Sq1’s Snorkel provided the aerial master streams. A 2-11 was eventually requested by 2-2-4. Most of the 2-11 companies were not utilized. Of note, this was the first fire in which AT8’s brand new rig utilized its pre-piped waterway.
01-17-2020: Chicago FD Truck Co. 48 reported a fire at 1539 S Hamlin Friday evening (1/17/20) during a bad snow storm. Building was a vacant, 3-sty ordinary, 30’x75′. Engine 109 was the first engine since Engine 38 was tied up on an EMS run. Battalion 14 arrived and boxed it right away. Companies went defensive due to forcible entry problems and fire being on all three floors already. Engines 38 & 99 were the box engines and both were feeding the master streams (TL5 & SS1). 2-2-4 pulled a 2-11 Alarm shortly after for manpower purposes. I don’t believe the 2-11 engines were used. Wind gusts up to 35mph and heavy snow for the duration of fire which made it very difficult to fight this job.
Kitchener (ON) fire dispatch toned out Floradale and Elmira for a barn fire in Wellington County at 7247 Line 3, January 9, 2020 at 7:50. Woolwich Township covers this area for Mapleton under contract. Floradale could see heavy smoke and fire as they pulled out of town and requested two additional tankers from St Jacobs and Conestogo. As they got closer to the fire they asked for a full turnout from St Jacobs, and two additional tankers from Mapleton Township. Mapleton responded with a tanker from Moorefield, and pumper, tanker, and rescue from Drayton.
The large two-story chicken barn was fully involved from end to end on arrival. Multiple lines were pulled to protect exposures. The 100′ x 40’ building collapsed approximately 10 minutes after arrival. Firefighters were able to save a large shop that housed a window making business which was less than 25 feet from the fire, and a large barn. Fortunately the wind was out of the east, which made firefighting much easier. Normal winds are from the west which would have pushed the fire at the two exposures.
There were no chicks in the barn, a new crop was to arrive the following day. Damage pegged at $250,000. Box 690 and the Floradale Ladies Auxiliary provided rebab at the scene. Photos show set up at the fire. It’s a 30 minute drive to the fire from my house. A news article can be found HERE.
The Cambridge Fire Department (ON) burned a large house and barn at 120 Blenheim Road May 1, 2019. Box 690 had been requested to provide rehab for the burn.
Gary Dinkel photo
Gary Dinkel photo
Gary Dinkel photo
Lots of shots and video from the two burn downs, which are always fun to photograph. Firefighters had done some live-fire training on the house over the last couple of months. The buildings were being burned to allow a new house and garage to be built on the property.
Kitchener (ON) fire dispatch 9-1-1 lines lit up at 8:10 August 22, 2018 for an explosion and fire at 56 Sprucedale Crescent on the west side of town. The initial dispatch was for an explosion and possible fire. Two pumps, 100’ quint platform, heavy rescue, and platoon chief were dispatched. Heavy smoke was visible as trucks were responding and a third pumper was requested to the scene.
P5 arrived first and reported debris all over the area with multiple houses on fire and stated they were going to look for victims. Neighbors reported there could be multiple people in the house. The adult male was pulled from the back yard by homeowners bordering the house. They told firefighters there was a female in the ruble at the rear but they couldn’t get to her due to heavy fire. Firefighters found the adult women and pulled her from the debris and reported she was 10-45.
Gary Dinkel photoGary Dinkel photo
The fire extended into homes on either side of the house that exploded. Two additional pumpers were requested to the scene. Two commands were set up, one to look after the initial house and the house on the E4 side. The second command looked after the well involved house on the E2 side. A sixth pumper was requested a short time later.
Four hydrants were picked up, three on Sprucedale and one on Blackwell Drive where firefighters pulled a 2.5” line into the rear of the fire. Multiple small and large lines as well as the platform attacked the fire from the front. The bulk of the fire was knocked down in 45 minutes on the original home and E4 home. The E2 home had heavy fire throughout the house and eventually fire broke through the steel roof. Firefighters worked for hours on spot fires and securing the scene.
Gary Dinkel photo
Due to the magnitude of the call, media and helicopters arrived from as far away as Toronto. Kitchener Fire Chief Jon Rehill updated press throughout the day. Sixteen homes were evacuated and gas was shut off to their homes until the source of the blast could be determined. The Ontario Fire Marshall arrived at noon to help in the investigation.
The following day, Regional Police reported they were investigating the fire as a homicide. The adult male was airlifted in critical condition to a Hamilton hospital. Damage will exceed two million dollars. Box 690 provided rehab for nine hours. Photos and video taken 25 minutes into call after rehab was set up.
Cambridge (ON) Fire dispatch toned out P2, A6, A3, P1, R1, and Car 6 for a possible fire at the Ontario Provincial Police station at 500 Beaverdale Road at 14:24. P2 reported a thermal column enroute, and fire through the roof on arrival. A6 was second due at the fire and set up it’s aerial for master stream operations. A hydrant was picked up on the east side of the fire to supply P2 and A6. Interior firefighters reported they couldn’t open up the ceiling to get into the attic. The roof was reinforced so no one could exit through it or get into the station through the roof. The firefighters were pulled from the building and A6 was ordered to open up their nozzle. Crews tried to trench cut the roof but were pulled off quickly due to fire already running the length of the structure.
Firefighters pulled a four-inch supply line to a second hydrant on the west side of the fire, the only other hydrant available in the area. Multiple lines were used to attack the fire. P5 was added to the call as firefighters were battling high heat and the heavy fire. Off-duty crews were called in to staff spare equipment. The fire was brought under control in two hours. Firefighters were rotated through rehab to keep well hydrated. There were four new fighters at the fire having been hired as part of a new station opening.
Damage was set between $1 to $1.5 million. The Ontario Fire Marshal and Cambridge Fire Prevention are investigating the cause of the fire. Box 690 served 197 cold drinks, numerous snacks, and dinner. The Cambridge mayor said they could not have scripted a major fire less than half an hour after officially opening a new station. A6, a 2018 Pierce 110’ Ascendant platform was placed in service at 7 am when the first firefighters moved into the station prior to the grand opening. Photos and video shot 25 minutes into the fire.
Gary Dinkel, Box 690
Gary Dinkel photo
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