Liberty Hose Co. No. 2 - Incident Detail #2159

Box 22-1 was dispatched for a working house fire at 643 Main Street in Lykens Boro, bringing companies 22, 23, 24, 21, and EMS from Medic 6. Chief 22, who lives 3 doors up from this location, came out his front door and saw 641 and 643 Main Street well off, and confirmed that there was entrapment. 641 and 643 and 645 Main Street were 2 and 1/2 story wood frame row homes with 647 and 649 Main Street being attached row homes as well. Engine 22 responded with 4, and laid 300 feet of 5 inch supply line from the hydrant at Main and Market Streets to the A/B corner, and placed two 2 inch 200 foot pre-connects in service. Truck 22 responded with 4, and approached the scene from Arch Street and came through the Mini-Market parking lot and set up on the A/D side. Engine 23 responded with 5 and laid a 5 inch supply line from the hydrant at Main and Spruce Streets and set up on the A/D side and pulled two pre-connects to side A. Engine 24 responded with 6, and laid a 5 inch supply line from the hydrant at North Second and Market Streets up and into the alley on the C side of the structure, where they pulled two pre-connects to the rear of the structure. Rescue 21 responded with 9, and they arrived and staged at the Dairy Queen and sent manpower forward to go interior. Medic 6 was first to arrive and found two patients in the Mini Market parking lot that were transported by Medic 6 and an EMS unit from company 24. Lykens PD also on scene. Crews from 22 and 23 attempted entry from multiple locations in an effort to locate an un-accounted for victim, and ran into intense fire and burned out floors and were forced back out. Fire was blowing out the A side through every door and window and through parts of the roof. Fire then spread to 645 Main Street. A crew from 21 entered the second floor C side of 641 Main, and breached a wall into 643 and knocked down what fire they found. A crew from 24 cut through and entered from the first floor side C into 643 Main and found the victim, who was deceased. The Truck crew went to the roof and trench cut it at 647 Main Street to stop the fire spread. Rescue 27 was dispatched for the RIT assignment. They responded with 5 and on arrival, staged behind Rescue 21 and set up on side A. Schuylkill Engine 650 was special called for manpower, and they responded with 5. On arrival, they staged behind Engine 23 and sent manpower forward. After the bulk of the fire was knocked down, crews rotated in to perform very extensive salvage and overhaul which took considerable time. Many pockets of fire remained and crews worked in the cold weather conditions to extinguish them. Engine 201 was relocated to station 22, and they stood by there until released. Additional EMS units from 24 and Schuylkill 961 responded to the scene. QRS 24 set up rehab supplies in the Mini Market parking lot. PPL arrived on scene and secured power to the structures. The County Coroner and FM-1 were requested to the scene, and arrived later into the incident. After control was marked, command released companies 24 and 21, and crews from 22, 23, and 27 continued locating and putting out remaining hot spots. A crew from 22 assisted the Coroner with retrieval of the victim, and after the properties were double checked for any remaining problems, command placed the box in service. Company 20 personnel assisted the Engine crew with repacking the 5 inch and 2 inch hose. Cause of the fire is under investigation.

Units on the scene:

Engine, Truck, and Utility 22
Engine and Rescue 23
Engine 24
Rescue and Utility 21
Rescue 27
Schuylkill Engine 650
Medic 6
EMS 24
Schuylkill EMS 961
Engine 201 in station 22
Lykens PD
FM-1
DC Coroner
PPL