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- News and Notes from Rockingham County 6/1/15
News and Notes from Rockingham County 6/1/15
News and Notes from Rockingham County
By: Firefighter/NRAEMT Taylor Roby
At 0250 on April 5 Companies 50 (Broadway), 60 (Timberville), and Rescue 50 (Broadway) as well as Duty Officer 90 were dispatched to 522 S. Main St. in the town of Broadway for a report of a structure fire in a commercial building. Initial reports were an occupant living in an upstairs apartment was reporting a popping and cracking noise coming from the Auction House side of the building. The caller also advised that her kitchen had some smoke in it and she was not investigating any further.
Engine 506 (Broadway) arrived first and marked off with a large two story multiple occupancy commercial structure with smoke showing from the Alpha side and made it a working incident adding Engine 756 (Singer’s Glenn) to assignment, Firefighter Lohr established S. Main St. Command. In addition to the working incident HFD Tower 2 and Engine 23 were added to the assignment due to the size and involvement of the building. In addition to Tower 2, Tower 90 (RCFR) was added shortly there after for an additional aerial device.
The crew from Engine 506 quickly determined that the single occupant was out of the structure and that it was going to be a defensive attack due to fire conditions and manpower. Units were unable to access side Charlie due to the terrain on that side. At this time Chief 50 (Lohr) arrived on scene and accepted a transfer of Command and requested a tanker task force be added to the assignment due to poor hydrants in the area of the fire building. A blitz fire was advanced off of Engine 505 to a window on Side Alpha to attempt to contain the fire to its area of origin.
After quickly realizing the initial master stream that was placed in service was not affective command had the lines repositioned to a better location to better reach the seat of the fire. The crew from Engine 653 (Timberville) advanced attack lines to further the defensive attack from side Alpha. Due to poor hydrants in the area of the fire a Rural Water Supply operation had to be put in place utilizing the tankers coming in from the tanker task force.
Engine 756 dropped their manpower on scene and reported to a predetermined draft site near the fire for tankers to refill and continue their shuttle. Two tanker shuttles were put in service for the purposes of fire attack, Tankers 500, 650, and 656 supported Engines 506 and 505. Tankers 15, 753, 55, and 17 supplied water for the aerial master stream on Tower 90. Engine 23 secured a water source for Tower 2 from a hydrant away from the fire.
Units continued to operate on scene for an extended period of time. The fire was marked under control at 0601, however units remained for some time afterward working on hot spots and checking for extension. Rescue 50 established rehab for the firefighters at their station, which is located across the street from this address. An engine from Hose Company #4 filled quarters in Broadway during the duration of the fire along with Tanker 55 (Bergton) after they completed their water supply assignment.
Even though this fire posed many challenges from building construction, apparatus placement, water supply, and manpower all companies worked together to extinguish the fire as quickly as possible. The Rockingham County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office determined the cause of the fire to be a malfunctioning refrigerator motor located in one of the businesses located on the first floor of the building.
In total 7 engines, 9 tankers, 2 towers, 2 ambulances, and numerous support vehicles were on scene. The following Agencies were involved with the incident: Companies 50, 60, 75 (Singers Glenn), 55 (Bergton), 23 (New Market), 40 (Hose Company #4), 15 (Bridgewater), 17 (Clover Hill), Rockingham County Fire and Rescue, Harrisonburg Fire Department, and Rescue 50
By: Firefighter/NRAEMT Taylor Roby
Multiple Companies Battle Large Commercial Structure Fire in Broadway
At 0250 on April 5 Companies 50 (Broadway), 60 (Timberville), and Rescue 50 (Broadway) as well as Duty Officer 90 were dispatched to 522 S. Main St. in the town of Broadway for a report of a structure fire in a commercial building. Initial reports were an occupant living in an upstairs apartment was reporting a popping and cracking noise coming from the Auction House side of the building. The caller also advised that her kitchen had some smoke in it and she was not investigating any further.
Engine 506 (Broadway) arrived first and marked off with a large two story multiple occupancy commercial structure with smoke showing from the Alpha side and made it a working incident adding Engine 756 (Singer’s Glenn) to assignment, Firefighter Lohr established S. Main St. Command. In addition to the working incident HFD Tower 2 and Engine 23 were added to the assignment due to the size and involvement of the building. In addition to Tower 2, Tower 90 (RCFR) was added shortly there after for an additional aerial device.
The crew from Engine 506 quickly determined that the single occupant was out of the structure and that it was going to be a defensive attack due to fire conditions and manpower. Units were unable to access side Charlie due to the terrain on that side. At this time Chief 50 (Lohr) arrived on scene and accepted a transfer of Command and requested a tanker task force be added to the assignment due to poor hydrants in the area of the fire building. A blitz fire was advanced off of Engine 505 to a window on Side Alpha to attempt to contain the fire to its area of origin.
After quickly realizing the initial master stream that was placed in service was not affective command had the lines repositioned to a better location to better reach the seat of the fire. The crew from Engine 653 (Timberville) advanced attack lines to further the defensive attack from side Alpha. Due to poor hydrants in the area of the fire a Rural Water Supply operation had to be put in place utilizing the tankers coming in from the tanker task force.
Engine 756 dropped their manpower on scene and reported to a predetermined draft site near the fire for tankers to refill and continue their shuttle. Two tanker shuttles were put in service for the purposes of fire attack, Tankers 500, 650, and 656 supported Engines 506 and 505. Tankers 15, 753, 55, and 17 supplied water for the aerial master stream on Tower 90. Engine 23 secured a water source for Tower 2 from a hydrant away from the fire.
Units continued to operate on scene for an extended period of time. The fire was marked under control at 0601, however units remained for some time afterward working on hot spots and checking for extension. Rescue 50 established rehab for the firefighters at their station, which is located across the street from this address. An engine from Hose Company #4 filled quarters in Broadway during the duration of the fire along with Tanker 55 (Bergton) after they completed their water supply assignment.
Even though this fire posed many challenges from building construction, apparatus placement, water supply, and manpower all companies worked together to extinguish the fire as quickly as possible. The Rockingham County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office determined the cause of the fire to be a malfunctioning refrigerator motor located in one of the businesses located on the first floor of the building.
In total 7 engines, 9 tankers, 2 towers, 2 ambulances, and numerous support vehicles were on scene. The following Agencies were involved with the incident: Companies 50, 60, 75 (Singers Glenn), 55 (Bergton), 23 (New Market), 40 (Hose Company #4), 15 (Bridgewater), 17 (Clover Hill), Rockingham County Fire and Rescue, Harrisonburg Fire Department, and Rescue 50