Liberty Hose Co. No. 2 - Incident Detail #260

Alarm sounded for a Washington Township fire at L & S Restorations, a boat refinishing facility along Route 209 that occupied the former Valley Skateland roller rink building. Company 21 responded from Elizabethville with two engines, a rescue, and a tanker. Assistant Chief Merle Hoover was in command. On arrival, the Chief found heavy black smoke issuing from a large metal building. Mutual aid was summoned from surrounding companies 20, 22, 23, 24, 26, and 27. A tanker shuttle was required to supply water for the fire fight. This was a challenge because the area was in drought conditions due to a long dry summer and fall. Engine 22 responded with a crew of six, and was directed to the Wiconisco Creek at Loyalton to establish a tanker fill site, where it spent several hours refilling tankers. Tanker 22 responded to the scene and shuttled several loads of water. Engine 22-1 was placed on standby in quarters for companies working the scene, where it stood by with a crew of five until released at 8:54 p.m. Truck 20 vented the roof of the structure to make an interior attack possible. But, the inside of the building was subjected to a long period of intense heat. Company 22 units remained at the creek until released by command. After the fire, the building was eventually torn down.