Waterloo (ON) P1, A1, P4 and Car 23 were dispatched to a house fire at 87 Bridge Street West December 17, 2017 at 05:05. Car 23 was advised callers were reporting lots of visible fire from the house under renovation. The platoon chief requested an additional pumper, P3 after hearing the report. Pump 4 arrived on scene and reported a fully involved house fire with exposure problems on side B and D. Aerial 1 was set up in front of the building for tower operations. P4 pulled multiple lines from their truck as well as a 4” feeder line to A1. Pump 4 officer reported he was unable to do a complete 360 due to high radiant heat. Two, four-inch lines were hooked up from a hydrant right beside P4 to feed their pumper. The roof and second floor collapsed into the basement approximately 20 minutes into the call. Firefighters were able to protect all exposures. A car on the B side of the fire had a cracked front window and slightly melted side mirror. Damage has been pegged at $500,000 and the Ontario Fire Marshall has been called in to investigate the suspicious fire. Box 690 on scene providing rehab on this cold night, temperature was 12 F. Photos taken 25 minutes into the fire.
Waterloo, Ontario Pump 2 was dispatched to a grass fire behind a large mall on the west side of town April 20, 2016 at 12:45. Dispatch advised they were getting multiple calls reporting flames six feet high. P2 could see smoke from a mile away and requested P1, Tank 1, and the PC to be added to the call. The fire started beside a tee of the par 3 golf course located beside the mall, and quickly spread into a marshy area. Firefighters picked up two hydrants and pulled multiple lines to knock the fire down. The fire was declared out an hour after arrival. This was the first of two grass fires in the city requiring a multiple station response. Box 690 provided rehab at both calls.