SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PA – Just before 3:30 AM on Tuesday, January 20, a still alarm was dispatched to 12 South D Street in Mahanoy City for an automatic fire alarm. While that dispatch was going out, another call was received reporting a working house fire with possible entrapment at that location. The entire Mahanoy City Fire Department was dispatched.
Engine 451 took the front of the building and secured a water supply at D and Centre Streets. Engine 465 positioned in front of 451 and secured a water supply at D and Pine Streets. Tower 456 took the B side of the row. Engine 454 secured a water supply and positioned at D and Market Streets.
Crews arrived to find heavy smoke showing from the front of the building and fire showing from the rear of the building. Multiple lines were stretched off the engines and entered the building to begin a fire attack. The tower flew to the roof and took a crew up to begin vertical ventilation. Chief 450 assumed command, stated there was negative entrapment and requested a second alarm into the scene.
While a portion of the second alarm was responding, crews put a good knock on the fire and the smoke rapidly dissipated. At this time, Chief 450 advised that all units that were not responding could hold in station.
Shenandoah Ladder 745 arrived and positioned behind Engine 451. Frackville Ladder 43-20, Shenandoah Engine 742 and Ryan Twp. Engine 26-10 all arrived and sent their personnel to staging.
The fire was brought under control within 30 minutes and all units not on scene were cancelled.
According to a press release from the Mahanoy City Fire Department, one resident was in the building when the fire started and was woken by a smoke detector. The resident exited the building through a second floor window to the porch roof.
One firefighter suffered a minor injury but did not require medical treatment.
A State Police Fire Marshal was on the scene and determined the cause of the fire to be electrical in nature. The fire building suffered damage from a two alarm fire next door three weeks prior on New Years Eve.
