SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, Pa. – At 2:36 PM on Friday, November 22, Schuylkill County 9-1-1 sent out a house fire dispatch for the 400 Block of West Spruce Street in Mahanoy City. The Mahanoy City Fire Department was due on the response.
Chief 48 signed on and was advised of multiple calls reporting a house fire in the 400 block. Moments later, the chief arrived on scene and confirmed a working fire with flames blowing out the second floor of a house in the middle of a row.
Tower 48-20 was first on-air and came down Spruce street the wrong way and stopped short of the address to set up the bucket. Ladder 48-25 came up Spruce and also stopped short of the address. 48-15 secured a water supply off Mahanoy Avenue while 48-10 secured a water supply on the East side of the fire.
A blitzfire was placed in the street while lines were stretched into the building. Ground ladders were thrown to the front of the building and both aerial devices were placed in service.
With the report of the working fire, RIT was added from Englewood and eventually Command requested a second alarm to the scene.
The second alarm included Districts 43 (Frackville), 45 (Girardville), 64 (Shenandoah – Columbia and RH&L), Tamaqua Rescue, Ryan Twp. EMS rehab and RIT from Pottsville.
Ladder 43-20 and Engine 64-10 were directed to the back where 43-20 was able to utilize every inch of their 109′ ladder as they just reached the roof from South Street. The crew from 64-25 staged their rig and went to the roof to assist with ventilation.
Firefighters worked diligently in the main fire building and the exposure buildings and were able to bring the fire under control in roughly 30 minutes.
Extensive overhaul would be needed as fire had traveled through the walls and crews reported hoarding conditions in one area.
Command requested representatives from the American Red Cross to respond as two of the affected residences were occupied. The chief also requested the State Police Fire Marshal to respond to the scene.
The second alarm units were released around 4:30 PM while Mahanoy City units remained on scene until just after 7 PM.
