08/25/14 New Haven. CT – New Haven firefighters received a 911 call and an AFA, shortly after six o’clock in the evening, from Delaney’s Tap Room, reporting smoke in the basement. Responding firefighters found a two-story frame, residential over commercial with fire showing on the outside of the building extending up the siding. Live wires were also arcing on the establishment and poles near by.
Firefighters attempted to make an interior attack, but were thwarted by the catacomb like basement of the nearly 150 year-old building, the heavy smoke, and electrically charged premises. Battalion Chief Gould pulled members from the building and transmitted the second alarm.
Companies prepared for the firefight as heavy smoke pushed from the building. Due to the construction of the building and numerous additions over the years, the fire would burn for over six hours requiring the need for two more alarms. Thick, acrid, brown smoke poured from the establishment, blanketing the area and making the exterior firefight extremely difficult.
Parts of the 150 year-old building eventually collapsed into itself helping firefighters gain the upper hand and douse the remaining fire. Heavy equipment would have to be brought in the next day to assist in extinguishing the pockets of fire. The structure was a total loss.
Multiple firefighters were transported with various injuries from the blaze. The state fire marshal was brought in to help with determining a cause of the blaze.
(there will be more images from this fire to post)
On Tuesday May 27th, 2014 at approx. 12:45, the Southfield Fire Department was dispatched to a reported building fire at 20000 8 Mile near Evergreen. The 1st arriving engine reported smoke showing from a large recycling plant. All 5 Southfield stations were then requested.
Crews stretched lines and preformed an interior attack on the building. Command then requested a 2nd Alarm to the scene for manpower. With companies operating inside the building and conditions not improving, Command pulled all crews out of the building and setup defensive operations. Southfield and Royal Oak aerials were on the A side of the building, while other crews operated master streams on the D side of the building. There were heavy smoke conditions in the rear.
Companies operated in defensive mode for aprox. 5 hours to bring this fire under control. Southfield, Royal Oak, Ferndale, Birmingham, Bloomfield Twp, West Bloomfield, & Farmington Hills Fire Departments responded to this incident. The cause of the fire is under investigation.