SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PA – At 2:06 PM on Friday, November 27, Schuylkill County 9-1-1 dispatched the first alarm assignment to 15 Main Street in Port Carbon at the Penn Equipment Company for a reported commercial building fire. The first alarm included Fire District 59 (Port Carbon), Palo Alto, Saint Clair Tower 701 and Pottsville City Engine 32, Ladder 21 and Rescue 63.
Chief 59 arrived on the scene within a minute and confirmed a working building fire and requested Pottsville Ladder 51 to the scene. Workers were reporting fire in the ceiling of the shop. Engine 5911 was directed to hit the hydrant in front of the building and initiate fire attack. The initial engine crew reported heavy fire in the ceiling with light fixtures falling to the ground.
Palo Alto Engine 612 was directed to establish a water supply to the rear of the building and feed Engine 32. Tower 701 was requested to go to the rear with the engines and set up for operation while Ladder 51 was sent to the front of the building with 5911 and go to the roof.
Engine 32 sent crews up an outside stairwell and into the building while the tower crew worked out of the bucket to open the roof. Engine 5910 took the “D” side of the building with Palo Alto Engine 616 where an additional water supply was secured and a leader line was stretched through a large garage door.
Heavy smoke continued to push out of the building and fire could be seen running the roof line. Pottsville Assistant Chief 4 was assigned operations of the “C” side operations.
Approximately twenty minutes into the incident conditions continued to deteriorate and interior crews briefly lost water. All firefighters were ordered to evacuate the building. A quick blitz from the deck gun of 5911 darkened down the fire and within minutes crews reentered to the battle the flames. Rapid intervention teams were requested from Pottsville and Schuylkill Haven.
Ladder 21 arrived on the scene and snaked their way through the back of the building and set up in front of Engine 32 on the “C” side of the building and flew the stick to the roof. Pottsville’s RIT (Engines 11 & 72) setup on the “C” side while Schuylkill Haven set up on the “A” side next to 5911.
Firefighters continued to make good progress on the fire and the smoke slowly dissipated. By 4:00 PM the fire was brought under control and command stated there was no further need for PAR checks.
PPL was on the scene to disconnect the power to the building. The Port Carbon Fire Marshal was also on the scene to aid in investigating the fire. Fire Chief Mike Welsh told local media the cause of the fire is believed to be electrical in nature. Fire crews were clear of the scene shortly before 6:00 PM.
Port Carbon crews returned to the scene around 9:30 PM to extinguish some lingering hot spots.
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