18/November/2015 – Structure Fire – “A” Shift

Incident # 15-06735 – Firefighter-Paramedics responding to a fire alarm found a 3500 square foot home on fire Wednesday morning 18-November. At 08:18, fire units were dispatched to the residence at 209 Brights Court for an activated alarm. Engine 1 arrived minutes later to find heavy smoke showing from the eaves on all sides of the building. A full structural response was requested as crews deployed two 1-3/4 handlines. Shortly after arriving, fire broke through a window at the rear of the home. Firefighters forced entry through the front door and worked their way toward the rear bedroom. They encountered heavy fire conditions in the back hallway. Interior crews were able to knock the fire down in the hall and bedroom, but the fire had entered the attic and was traveling through the attic space. A second alarm was issued about 10 minutes after arrival, while interior crew began pulling the ceilings to reach the flames. Firefighters had the fire contained in about 20 minutes, however they had some problems reaching all of the flames in the many void spaces in the attic. The home had a unique and elaborate ceiling/attic/roof system. Crews had to pull the ceilings in about a 1/4 of the home and cut several access holes in the roof to extinguish all of the hot spots. No one was at home when the fire occurred and no injuries were reported.

Firefighters saved the structure and most of the belongings, as most of the fire was in the attic and one bedroom and a bathroom. Water supply was conducted with a Tender shuttle. Fire units were on the scene for 3-1/2 hours.

Engine 1, Engine 19, Engine 26, Engine 27, Tender 1, Tender 6, Tender 8, Tender 19, Tender 26, Tender 27, Medic 1, Medic 19, Medic 26, Rescue 1, Battalion 1, Car 109 and Car 118 responded. Assistant Chief Marty Stallings served as Incident Commander.

Photos by Harold Buzzell