Liberty Hose Co. No. 2 - Incident Detail #814

Companies 22, 23, and 24 were dispatched for a reported structure fire at the home of Mayor Mike Kraska. Chief 22-1 arrived on scene and reported that the structure was fully involved on side-3 from the first to third floors, spreading forward to the front of the house. Engine 22, with six personnel, responded and took side-1/4, connecting to the hydrant on the square and laying 5-inch supply hose to the scene. Truck 22, with five personnel, responded from the opposite direction, taking side-1/2, and was supplied by a 5-inch line from Engine 22. Engine 23 took side-2/3, and was supplied by a 5-inch line from a hydrant at the corner of North Second and Market Streets. Engine-24 took side-2/3 and was supplied by Engine-23. Initial attack was from the inside, through the front door, meeting the fire and pushing it back, while at the same time units in the rear were knocking down the fire extension to the upper floors. Chief 22 arrived and took command. Additional units were requested. Rescue 66 was dispatched and set up as the RIT team, next door in the Community Banks parking lot. Tower City Air Light was dispatched and set up in the Bank parking lot as an air cylinder refill station, with their additional personnel on scene providing a second RIT team. Fire extension from the original fire building to the adjacent structure on side-2 was knocked down by members of Companies 22 and 24, with only a distance of 3 feet between the buildings.

During this call, an accident with injuries was reported in Company 23's territory. Engine-24 and Rescue-66 responded to the accident, with Tower City and Company-66 personnel remaining as the primary RIT team. Rescue-21 was dispatched to provide additional manpower. Medic-6 set up a two unit rehab station in the alley (Municipal Street) across the street from the structure.

Extensive salvage and overhaul was performed after the initial fire knock down. Company-22 recorded a total of 34 active personnel on scene, with the total number of personnel from all companies on scene estimated at close to 75. PPL disconnected the utilities and the PSP fire marshall arrived on scene, per request of Chief-22. Investigation determined the cause of the fire to be an extension cord, which was used to plug in a microwave oven in the kitchen area on the first floor.