Couple of shots from a fire in Kitchener 2/5/20. Fire started in the basement around the wood stove. Heavy smoke on arrival. We were already responding to call as PC reported heavy smoke and asked for an extra pumper. Tough fire to fight, had a walk in door to the basement on E3, but no windows. Crews went in with zero visibility and fire above their heads. Backed out right away and pulled additional lines. Fire eventually took hold of the main floor. The house is a total loss.
Kitchener (ON) P12, A12, Tower 13 (using spare P19), R11, and Car 123 were dispatched to the end of Forwell Road for a possible fire, February 19, 2020, at 14:48. I was on the expressway just passing Kitchener HQ on the dispatch. I could see the smoke approximately 4.5 miles from the scene. Car 123 was just behind me and also could see the smoke once he got onto the highway and asked for an additional pumper, P14 and Tanker 17 as they were not sure how close the hydrants were to the fire.
Once on scene, P12 reported an abandoned building with heavy smoke and flames showing on the C and D side. P12 picked up a yard hydrant and laid in 500 feet of LDH. A 2.5” line was pulled for a defensive attack. Command requested A11 to the scene, and returned Tanker 17 to cover at Station 2. A12 was setup for an elevated master stream. P14 and P19 reverse laid 1,600 feet of LDH to a hydrant at the entrance to the gravel pit on Forwell Road. P19 relay pumped to A12.
The building was being decommissioned, and was being used to store rubber conveyor belts from when the pit was in operation. The fire was contained to the older section of the structure and declared out an hour into operations. Photos and video start 10 minutes after P12 arrived on scene. Box 690 provided rehab for the 20 firefighters on scene.
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.
Cambridge, Ontario P32, P31, A36, A33, R31, and Car 323 were dispatched for a possible fire at 154 Holland Circle February 6, 2020 at 20:00. P32 arrived on scene reporting heavy fire showing from the main floor of a large single-family home, pulling two attack lines. Due to the volume of fire, and the fact that the fire originated in the basement, all firefighting was defensive.
Firefighters pulled additional lines and set up A36. Conditions were cold and windy night with heavy snow showers throughout the night. Firefighters were able to contain the fire from spreading to large homes on either side of the original structure. The fire spread to the second floor and attic. A34 was requested to the scene for manpower, and two overtime crews were called in to staff spare apparatus.
Cambridge has six stations staffed full time. A38 staffed by call-in crews was sent to the scene at 23:00. The was declared under control at 02:00 the following day. Firefighters remained on scene attending to hot spots well into the afternoon. The fire was believed to be electrical in nature, starting in the basement. Damage has been set at $700,000. Box 690 provided rehab. Photos and video start 25 minutes into the call.
Kitchener, Ontario fire dispatch toned out P12, Tower 13, A12, R11 and Car 123 on November 24 2019 at 12:30 for a possible structure at 656 Frederick Street. Tower 13 arrived on scene to white smoke coming from an attached garage. While they were pulling their lines a small explosion inside the garage quickly changed the smoke to dark black. There was gas, propane, and kerosene in the garage. The garage became fully involved threating the attached house and the house on the E4 side. Two additional pumpers were requested as firefighters attacked the fire with multiple lines. There was no extension into either house. Cause of the fire was listed as careless smoking. Photos and video start five minutes into the fire.
Fire dispatch toned out Linwood, St Clements, and Wellesley for a house fire at 7510 Line 86, July 27 at 9:05. Linwood reported they could see a thermal column just after they pulled out of town. They requested a tanker from Floradale. Linwood arrived to a fully involved house, heavy fire in the rear and on the main floor. Multiple lines were pulled and port-a-tanks set up for water shuttle. Water was drawn from a fire department cistern a mile from the scene.
Firefighters knocked the bulk of the fire in 20 minutes. Wellesley’s aerial was used to pull the roof to get to hot spots. This was the first fire it was used on. Firefighters used the quint at a burn a few weeks before for training.
The fire was started by a four year old playing with a BBQ starter. Four children were transported to a hospital with smoke inhalation. Firefighters remained on scene until late afternoon to assist the Ontario Fire Marshal with the fire investigation. Box 690 provided rehab for the fire, served 171 drinks for the 30 firefighters on scene. Photos taken 25 minutes into the call.
Firefighters from all three Wellesley Township (ON) stations participated in a house burn June 8, 2019 on Lobsinger Line. The house was owned by a Linwood firefighter who had purchased the farm and is building a new home on property. Firefighters had a good day to use their new Smeal tower which had been picked up the day before. The property had a pond approximately 800 feet from the house.
St Clements pumper set up at the pond to feed the Wellesley pumper and tower. The clear cool day had an east wind which was unusual for the area. The normal wind comes out of the west. Firefighters rotated going up in the bucket and running the new quint. Crews were very happy with the new truck.
