Montgomery County Fire & Rescue units responded to the Haz-Mat incident in Rockville, MD Tuesday morning. Hydraulic oil in an elevator shaft/unit burned causing fumes to spread through two office buildings. Approximately 30 of the building’s occupants felt ill due to the fumes, and the incident was upgraded to a mass-casualty event.
Haz-Mat units 728 and 707 were both on the scene to provide haz-mat mitigation. Rescue Squad 703, multiple engine and truck companies from Rockville and Gaithersburg, and the Medical Care Support Unit responded. The Medical Ambulance Bus was used to transport patients to a local hospital. Gaithersburg/Washington Grove Volunteer Fire Department Canteen 708 provided refreshments and hydration for the firefighters, office complex staff, and patients.
Just before 1830 hrs on Tuesday evening (7/22), the chief of Chicago’s 22nd Battalion pulled up on the scene of a working fire in an occupied 1.5-story frame residence. The fire appeared to have started in the rear portion of the attic and quickly consumed much of the attic space. With a three-story, ordinary, apartment building with wood frame porches as the sector D exposure, and a heat index near 100, the 22nd requested a Still & Box Alarm within minutes of arrival. Heavy fire vented out the sector B dormer and through the roof above, but within a few minutes, the fire darkened down and was brought under control. The truck seen in the images is 27. This was the second evening in the last three that Engines 75 and 62 had a working fire in their still district.
On Tuesday July 22 2014, The Royal Oak Fire Department (MI) sent a single station response to a reported wire down at Mandalay & 14 Mile. While enroute, dispatch advised they were receiving reports of a house fire at 4715 Mandalay and a full box alarm response was started. Engine 9-20 arrived on the scene and found a one-story dwelling with fire showing from the rear.
Command reported wires down and arcing at the scene. Crews attempted entry and discovered the dwelling was electrically charged. There were charged high-tension lines down on the house.Two firemen got blown off the porch trying too go in.
Command then ordered all companies away from the dwelling and defensive operations until the utilities could be secured. Due to the heavy fire conditions and an inability to secure the electricity to the dwelling, defensive operations continued and exposure lines were put in place. The power company took two hours to get on scene.
After the power was secured companies were able to extinguish what remained of the fire. The dwelling was a total loss; crews operated for three hours on this scene to bring the fire under control. Royal Oak Stations 1, 2 & 3 responded with station coverage mutual aid from the Ferndale & Birmingham Fire Departments.
07/19/14 Bridgeport, CT – East side companies responded to 1081 Stratford Avenue to find a large, four-story, residential over commercial with heavy fire on the number four side burning on the second through fourth floors. Companies attempted an interior attack but were driven out buy the intense and fast spreading flames.
BC Thode transmitted a second alarm and ordered an exterior attack. An additional engine over the second alarm was special called. Three ladders, multiple master streams, and hand lines were used to knock down the heavy fire. Seven engines, three trucks, and the rescue battled the blaze for an hour to bring it under control. Companies remained on scene for several hours dousing hot spots. The upper floors were vacant at the time of the fire making the fire suspicious in nature. No firefighters were hurt battling the blaze.
The Calumet Park Fire Department (IL) received a report of a structure on the 12400 block of South Honore at about 1920 hours on Monday evening (7-21-14). Response time for the first engine and truck was less than two minutes. Companies arrived to find the occupants outside and a fair amount of smoke pushing from the front door. Companies made entry and quickly found the seat of the fire to be in a back bedroom. Within three minutes of arrival, the Calumet Fire Department had the fire knocked down and held in check. The fire did not extend to any other rooms or the attic. Posen, Midlothian, Merrionette Park and Riverdale went auto-aid.
A few images from a working fire at 117th and Michigan in Chicago on Sunday afternoon. Fire was already blowing out a sector B window on arrival even though Engine 75’s response distance was only 2 blocks. The fire on the first floor was quickly brought under control but had made it’s way into a confined space attic. All images of interior work being done without masks or packs were taken during the overhaul phase, well after the fire was declared out.
During one of many trips to Detroit we caught this fire in a vacant warehouse at Vinewood and Toledo.
Eng 10 arrived first and reported a four-story vacant, commercial building approximately 200X350 with heavy fire on the 3rd floor. Companies worked for approximately two hours to bring the fire under control using two platforms, one ladder pipe, and several handlines. They remained on-scene for over 24 hours.
15:31 Box Eng 10,27,33,8 Lad 8,22 Sqd 4 Chief 7
15:35 Haz-Mat Unit 1 and Unit 2 (Eng 10 reports polycarbons in bldg)
15:36 2nd Alarm 2nd Alarm b/o CHIEF 7 Eng 29,34 Lad 7,13 Sqd 2 Chief 5 and Car 203,201
