Steve Redick submitted images from a 4-11 Alarm fire on Chicago’s near southwest side overnight in a commercial building.
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
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All posts for the month September, 2013
Colleton County Fire Chief Barry McRoy submitted the following images and account of a fire that occurred August 21, 2013.
Barry McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue photo
An early morning structure fire heavily damaged a home located at 1826 Wichman Street in Colleton County South Carolina. The fire was reported at 03:02, Wednesday morning 21-August. Firefighters arrived to find the single story, wooden residential dwelling heavily involved. Engine 19 used it’s deck gun to knock down the flames, until crews deployed two 1-3/4 handlines to the building.
Barry McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue photo
The home contained an immense fire load, with clothing and miscellaneous articles stacked five feet high in all rooms. A neighbor reported that an elderly woman was inside the structure. Firefighters had difficulty entering the building due to the large piles of clothing, books, and other items. The heaviest fire was knocked down within ten minutes, but crews worked another 25 minutes attempting to gain access to the interior. A tender shuttle was used for water supply.
Barry McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue photo
All windows and the rear door were blocked. Firefighters used a circular saw to cut away the entire “B” side of the residence and removed the wooden and vinyl siding to gain access to the interior. Firefighters spent three hours tunneling though and removing debris searching for the woman.
Barry McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue photo
Sheriff’s Deputies were successful in finding her at a friend’s home several miles from the incident location around dawn. She was safe and did not know of the fire. Crews continued to soak the contents of the home to extinguish the huge piles of clothing and other combustibles. Fire and Law Enforcement units remained on the scene for four and half hours. Investigators believe the fire was caused by an electrical problem in an outlet on an interior wall.
Barry W. McRoy
Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
Barry McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue photo
Dan Shevlin submitted images from a Still & Box Alarm fire in Chicago on May 8, 2013.
Dan Shevlin photo
In the early morning hours of May 8th, the CFD was stilled out on a report of a building on fire at 1711 N. Kimball, in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood. On arrival, fire was showing in a 2-story frame which communicated to a 3 1/2 story frame. Multiple hand lines were used, plus Tower Ladder 14, which controlled the fire in the attic of the exposure.
Dan Shevlin photo
Dan Shevlin photo
Dan Shevlin photo
Dan Shevlin photo
Dan Shevlin photo
Gary Dinkel, with the Box 690 Rehab Unit, submitted this story and the photos from a fire in Woolwich Township, Gloucester County, NJ Waterloo County, Ontario Canada on March 15, 2013.
March 25 2013, 6:20 pm, Conestogo (full response), Maryhill (full response) and St Jacobs tanker were dispatched to a possible structure fire at 1626 Cox Creek Rd. Residents reported boiling maple syrup on a wood stove had started a small fire in the work shop. The work shop was attached to barn, which was attached to a driving shed, and second barn.
A captain from Conestogo arrived on scene in his personal vehicle and reported fire in the roof of the shop. By the time the first Conestogo and Maryhill units arrived, the work shop and first barn were well involved. A creek ran beside the property. Initially crews shuttled water up the 1,000-foot driveway to the farm.
The fire started in the shed in the foreground of ,this picture and spread to the other buildings and cars.
Gary Dinkel photo
As the fire extended through the driving shed, Conestogo District Chief Arnie Gingrich requested the balance of St Jacobs to the scene, and for crews to establish a relay pump from the creek. One thousand feet of 4” line was reverse laid from Conestogo’s pumper to the bottom of the laneway where Maryhill’s pumper was set up.
Firefighters are waiting for water.Gary Dinkel photo
Initially, tankers shuttled water from the creek 500 feet up the road to Maryhill pumper’s port-a-tank until a 4” line could be set up from the creek. Numerous old vehicles stored around the barns caught fire. The second barn flashed over 20 minutes later. Two 2.5” and four 1.5” lines were pulled around the burning structures. The lines were used to knock down the vehicle fires, and then to work on the burning buildings.
Gary Dinkel photo
Gary Dinkel photo
The fire burned for hours before being brought under control. Conestogo released St Jacobs at 11:00PM and Maryhill just before midnight. A high hoe arrived on-scene around 10:15 and was used to pull the vehicles and structures apart to get to hot spots. Conestogo cleared the scene at 2:30 am. Initial damage was pegged at $300,000, but will likely be much more.
Three (Box 690) members remained on the scene with the truck for five hours. They served 139 hot and cold drinks, 48 hot dogs, 12 soups, and 316 snack items.
Chicago area fire photographer Erick Haak submitted the following account of his beginning as a fire photographer.
In honor of the opening of this great endeavor, I thought I would share some of my first pictures and a short tale about how I became interested in fire photography.
In the winter of 2006, I had become bored with my usual routine and decided that I wanted to do something different. As a middle school teacher, I occasionally found myself with a lot of time on my hands. So that December, I decided I would take my interest in photography and begin doing a photo study about all of the fire stations in the city of Chicago. I had no clue what I was doing. I knew nothing about the fire department and had to look up each house on a map and do a few a day. I was the kind of person who would have easily called an engine a “fire truck”. I didn’t own a scanner and didn’t know much about the north side of the city.
Chicago firehouse for Engine 14 and Truck 19. Eric Haak photo
On the day after Christmas, I headed out to add a few houses to the ones I had already shot earlier that month. I had six stations that I was going to make it to that day, and Engine 14 was the last on my list. I arrived at their quarters just after noon and as I began to snap off a few photos, the doors opened up and the lights of Engine 14 and Truck 19 went on. At the time I didn’t know that companies routinely went on ambulance assists and box checks and the rest of the daily grind. I thought immediately that they must be going to a fire!
I ran to my car and began heading down Chicago Avenue. I could see the lights up ahead in the distance but they had gained a lot on me and I was hoping I wouldn’t lose them. I had no idea where they were going. As I sat through a few red lights I realized that they had stopped a few blocks ahead. At first, I wasn’t sure if there was a fire as the smoke conditions in the front of the building weren’t much. The second photo of Truck 19 raising their aerial is what I saw as I approached and you can see there was a little smoke showing from the front door of a pizza place.
Eric Haak photo
I ran around the back to the alley and found that the seat of the fire was in the kitchen. There was a wood frame addition in the rear of the 2-story ordinary which housed supplies and the fire was quickly spreading to this addition. The cook of the restaurant hesitated calling the fire department when he had tried to contain a flash over on his own.
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
The fire would eventually be boxed and the rest of the story you can see in the pictures. The fire consumed the back portion and pushed through the roof. Eventually companies took position next door to get a better vantage point. The 12th battalion chief can be seen in the last photo checking on conditions as these companies hit the fire from above. I think I went out and bought a scanner the next day. I had no idea how hard it would be to get in this position again! Being on scene as the first due companies are stretching can be a tough task and I have been pursuing that scenario ever since.
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Monday afternoon at 15:32 hours, Adams County Box 1-4 was struck for the mobile home fire on Heth Street in Lincoln Estates, west of Gettysburg Pa. Engine 1-2 of the Gettysburg Fire Dept. arrived with fire showing and exposures (sheds) in close proximity. E1-2’s crew stretched a 2 1/2 for fire attack.
Engine 5-1 of the Arendtsville Volunteer Fire Dept stretched a 1 ¾ line backing up Engine 1-2’s crew. Ambulance 2A of the Fairfield Fire Company assisted the occupant who was self-rescued from the house fire. Crews had the fire knocked down in 15 minutes. The balance of the manpower assisted with an extensive overhaul.
Things got a bit “dicey” when firefighters were briefly trapped inside with no ability to advance the hose line, due to a door being closed. As you can see, firefighters got out rapidily and by their actions, it indicates things were HOT. Chief 4 (Bowling) of the Cashtown Fire Company had command.
Photography by Chris Eiker of 911 Photography.
Photography by Chris Eiker of 911 Photography.
Photography by Chris Eiker of 911 Photography.
Photography by Chris Eiker of 911 Photography.
Follow this link to a gallery with more images.
Brett Mack submitted images of a 3-Alarm fire in an apartment house in Reading, PA that occurred August 4, 2008
Brett Mack photo
Clymer Apartments – 3 Alarms – City of Reading, PA – 8/4/08
A Box alarm was struck just before noontime for a reported kitchen fire with entrapment. Companies arrived with heavy fire showing from the 1st floor. Rapid fire spread and low water pressure hampered efforts. Eventually 3 alarms were struck exhausting all city units.
Brett Mack photo
Brett Mack photo
Brett Mack photo
Brett Mack photo
Brett Mack photo
Click here to view a gallery with more images from this fire.