Cambridge (ON) firefighters that had been at the Linden fire were busy cleaning their trucks and looking forward to dinner plus some much needed rest. Dispatch toned out P 31, 35, Tanker 31, and spare P 38 for a trailer in an attached garage and two houses on fire at 74 Rouse Ave at 17:30. Tanker 31 arrived on scene and confirmed they had a trailer in a garage, and two houses fully involved. All firefighting was defensive from the start.
A 34 cleared the Lindon call and responded to Rouse Ave. There was heavy fire in the rear of both structures with fire through the roof. A 34 setup their aerial, and firefighters pulled numerous lines around the building. It took more than an hour to knock the fire down. Two firefighters were transported to a hospital with heat exhaustion. Damage has been set at $1.5 million.
Photos taken by Box 690 member Dave Westwood who responded to the call from the Linden fire. Photos and video start approximately 20 minutes into the fire. Box 690 served over 200 drinks at this fire, making it a very busy day for the eight members that assisted at both fires.
Kitchener (ON) fire dispatch toned out Baden and New Dundee stations for an attached garage fire at 1 Deerfield Extension in Petersburg, May 8 at 18:55. Baden requested a full response from New Hamburg while en route to the fire and reported smoke showing minutes before they arrived on scene.
Heavy fire was venting from a two-car, attached garage. Multiple small and large hand lines were pulled and knocked down the bulk of the heavy fire in 15 minutes with some extension into the attic of the house. There were several of propane tanks in the garage and a propane BBQ. Water was shuttled from the nearest hydrant four miles from the scene. Very good stop keeping the fire to the garage. Box 690 provided rehab. Photos taken 20 minutes into fire.
Cambridge, Ontario P2, P1, A6, R1, and Car 6 were dispatched to 51 Livingstone Crescent for a dryer fire January 17, at 20:30. The closest station to the call was Station 3 but A3 was on a medical call. P2 arrived and reported some smoke showing and all occupants were out of the building.
P2 pulled a line into the basement reporting heavy smoke, and near zero visibility. A hydrant was picked up as firefighters performed primary searches of the first, second, and third floors while fire attack looked for the source of the fire in the basement. The fire was located at the rear corner of the basement and quickly knocked down. Basement windows were taken out so ventilation could be performed by the attack crew. A3 cleared from their call and command had them return to their station as the fire was knocked down.
Three firefighters were sent to perform a secondary search of the house and while on the second floor they reported the lights had gone out. Within a couple of minutes heavy black smoke was showing from the first and second floor. A minute later both floors flashed over. Two firefighters were able to exit via the stairs while a third had to bail out a second floor window onto the garage roof. He was transported to hospital with second degree burns and wass released the next morning. His gear and SCBA saved his life.
Dave Westwood photo
The entire building was now fully involved, and fire came through the steel roof within minutes. A6 was setup quickly to protect exposures, and A3 was added to the call, ordered to grab another hydrant, and get their aerial up. Large lines were pulled to attack the fire and protect exposures. A third hydrant was pulled from Newport Drive as A6 didn’t have enough water to supply their bucket and lines. A4 and P5 were added to the call necessitating call-in of off-duty crews to staff spare apparatus now that all six stations were on scene.
Gary Dinkel photoGary Dinkel photoGary Dinkel photo
The upper two floors collapsed 30 minutes after the flashover and the fire was brought under control in two hours. One station remained on scene all night, and others are still on scene chasing hot spots. Due to the collapse, firefighters can’t go into the structure to work on fully extinguishing the fire. The Ontario Fire Marshall is on the scene to investigate the cause. Damage is pegged at more than $750,000.
Box 690 provided rehab. My photos and video were shot 25 minutes after the flashover. Box 690 member Dave Westwood’s photos taken immediately after the flashover.
Gary Dinkel
Box 690
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Cambridge ON P1, P2 A3, A4, R1, and Car 6 were dispatched to a possible fire on Sheffield Street November 20, 2017 at 13:50. Pump 2 reported smoke visible just after they left their hall two blocks from the fire. Heavy black smoke pushing from cracks and windows greeted firefighters as they arrived. All firefighting was defensive from the start. The building was brick with a truss roof measuring approximately 300 x 200’. The warehouse was used to store recycled cardboard and paper, plastic auto parts, acetone, and unknown chemicals. Fire was through the roof at the BC corner within 20 minutes of arrival and five minutes later part of the wall collapsed.
Both aerials were set up, and multiple 2.5” lines and monitors were deployed. Regional Police were asked to evacuate businesses downwind of the fire. Area residents were instructed to shelter in place and close all windows. Command was concerned with the runoff from the fire. City public works employees diked storm sewers as best they could to try to prevent runoff from flowing into the Speed River 300 feet away. Reserve A33 responded to the scene with overtime crews at 16:30. Additional firefighters were called in to staff the tanker and spare pumper.
The fire eventually spread through the entire building. All three aerials were used to fight the fire. There were numerous collapses over the next few hours. Heavy fire continued to burn throughout the building all night.
9-1-1 lines int the City of Guelph, 17 miles north west of Cambridge, were jammed with people phoning in to report the smell of acrid smoke in the area. A backhoe was brought in to start pulling the remaining walls down to allow firefighters to get at numerous hot spots throughout the building. Firefighters were still on scene as of 19:30 November 22 as I typed this report.
Cambridge Fire Prevention is working with the Ontario Fire Marshall to look for the cause of the $1,000,000 fire. Box 690 provided rehab for the first ten hours of the fire and was back on scene the next day topping up supplies. Cambridge had a small garage fire during this incident as well as a two serious auto accidents; one involving a patient being flown out on air ambulance. I arrived on scene 20 minutes after the dispatch. I got home at 2:00 and was back on the road 30 minutes later to a large shed fire in Wellesley Township on Road 116, 21 miles from our hall.
Cambridge Ontario firefighters responded to 205 Beverly St Friday February 24 at 13:10. Firefighters have fought numerous fires at this building over the years. The abandoned building is used by the homeless. The building was heavily charged with smoke on arrival. A small fire was found in the building after searching the maze of small rooms with a thermal imaging camera. Photos taken during overhaul, fifty minutes in to the call. Box 690 provided rehab.
Cambridge, Ontario fire dispatch received a 911 call from a motorist reporting a possible fire at 6 McNaughton Street April 6, 2015 at 22:30. Nineteen firefighters responded with two pumpers, two quints, heavy rescue, and platoon chief. Pump 5 arrived on scene with smoke and flames showing. Firefighters pulled two lines into the front of the building to attack the fire. Crews were pulled from the building within minutes when heavy fire vented out windows from the back of the structure. The heavy fire was knocked down in twenty minutes. Pictures were taken approximately 25 minutes after arrival of firefighters. The fire was declared out at 01:15. Damage has been pegged at $300,000 and is being investigated by Cambridge Fire Prevention, Regional Police, and an investigator from the Office of the Fire Marshall. Box 690 on scene 2.5 hours providing rehab.
