Kitchener (ON) Fire dispatch toned out Floradale for a possible fire at 7098 Side Road 5 in Wellington County February 26, 2019, at 8:26. Floradale (Waterloo County) covers this area on contract for first response. A Floradale captain who lives less than a mile from the fire was on scene before any trucks left the hall. He reported a thermal column on approach and asked for a pumper and tanker from Elmira, and a tanker from St Jacobs. Half a minute later he confirmed they had a wood shop fully involved with two exposures.

Centre Wellington’s other station in Fergus was dispatched once the new report was relayed to responding firefighters. Water was shuttled from a pond located at a business just up the road from the fire. Five tankers were used in the relay. Numerous small and large lines were pulled to fight the fire enabling firefighters to protect the exposures.

The pond was drained after two hours of use, so Elmira’s pumper set up at a hydrant in Elmira to fill trucks. The hydrant on the north end of town was approximately five miles from the scene. Woolwich firefighters cleared the scene just before noon, Centre Wellington remained on scene until 14:00.

A high hoe was brought in to pull the building down to get at hot spots. Box 690 provided rehab to the 40 firefighters on scene. Photos and video taken 40 minutes into the call.

Gary Dinkel, Box 690

Units on scene

Woolwich Township

Floradale Pumper, tanker (3,000 US gallons), rescue

Elmira Pumper, tanker (2,500 US gallons), crew stayed at station to staff rescue and 95’ quint 

St Jacobs Tanker (3,000 US gallons)

Box 690 stationed in Kitchener at Station 5

Centre Wellington

Elora Pumper, Tanker (3,000 US gallons), 75’ quint

Fergus Pumper, tanker (3,000 US gallons) rescue