SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PA – At 10:35 PM on Sunday, November 2, Schuylkill County 9-1-1 dispatched a first alarm assignment to 357 Aristes Road in Union Township for a reported house on fire. The initial alarm included Fire Districts 30 (Ringtown Valley), 9 (Sheppton-Oneida), Nuremberg Fire, Shenandoah Fire (Columbia), Mahanoy City Fire (West End), Aristes Fire along with Shenandoah and Ringtown EMS.
First responding units were advised the caller stated his basement was on fire. Medic 6401 arrived on the scene and confirmed a working fire with smoke showing from all floors of the two and a half story single family dwelling. EMS quickly upgraded their report that they now had fire showing from the building.
Tanker 30-35 and Engine 30-10 arrived on scene and began to stretch lines to attack the fire. The tanker set up a portable pond on the street since the area is without hydrants. Chief 30 assumed command of the incident and requested a second alarm be dispatched.
The second alarm was struck which brought units from Shenandoah (Hookies & Polish American), Shenandoah Heights, Mahanoy City (Good American), Ryan Township, Hometown and Wilburton.
Engine 30-15 arrived and positioned behind 30-10 and stretched additional lines. Squrt 745 arrived and took the rear of the building. Their crew laddered the building and began vertical ventilation.
While crews were attempting to make entry, very poor conditions were found inside leading to command pulling all crews out of the building. The attack was switched to defensive and heavy lines were pulled to corners of the building.
Nuremberg Ladder 581 arrived and was directed to position between 30-10 and 30-15 and prepare for aerial operations. Fire had begin to show from the roof area and crews were ordered down from the roof. A third alarm for tankers was requested into the scene bringing in tankers from Carbon, Columbia, Luzerne and Schuylkill Counties.
With the master streams from Ladder 581 and 30-10 the bulk of the fire through the roof was knocked down while firefighters continued to pour water through the windows from the outside.
The fire was placed completely under control around 1:30AM while crews were still mopping up hotspots throughout the residence. The Red Cross was dispatched to the scene to aid the displaced resident. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
