SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PA – At 10:21PM on Friday, April 22, Schuylkill County 9-1-1 dispatched the first alarm to 217 West Arlington Street in Shenandoah for a reported house on fire. The Shenandoah Fire Department was due with Frackville Ladder 43-20, Mahanoy City Rescue 993 and Lost Creek EMS.
Chief 740 went responding and was advised two callers were reporting a glow in the residence and the sound of “popping”. The police department arrived on the scene moments later and confirmed a working house fire.
Squrt 745 arrived on the scene and found heavy smoke showing from a two and a half story dwelling with an exposure on the “B” side. The Squrt crew stretched a line to the front door and as they were forcing the door, the front room flashed. The crew quickly knocked down the fire and continued into the house. Engine 742 laid line up Arlington Street and supplied water to the Squrt.
Engine 751 came in on Arlington from the East side, secured a water supply and stretched an additional line. Tanker 759 positioned on the West side of Arlington Street and sent its crew to the front. Ladder 43-20 staged at West and Arlington and sent its crew to the front of the building as well. Firefighters from Mahanoy City West End set up a Rapid Intervention Team at the A/D corner of the building.
An additional line was stretched into the building off Engine 742 while additional members from the Squrt went to the roof and vented the roof. Crews operated on the second floor and performed overhaul to ensure all the fire has been doused while others checked the exposure on the “B” side.
Within fifteen minutes of crews arriving on scene the bulk of the fire had been knocked down. The fire was placed under control by 10:50PM and most of the smoke had already cleared out of the building. A State Police Fire Marshal was requested to the scene to help investigate the origin of the fire.
Out of town units were released from the scene shortly after 11PM and most of the Shenandoah crews were back in station shortly after midnight. One unit remained on the scene for most of the overnight for fire watch.
