NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PA – At 8:20AM, Northumberland County 9-1-1 dispatched the first alarm to 232 South Beech Street in Mount Carmel for a working house fire. As the first alarm tones were being dropped, local police got on radio to report a fire on Beech Street. The police were advised the fire department was dispatched and about ten calls were received reporting the fire. Police advised there was a working fire in the rear with three houses already involved.
Captain 1 got on the scene and confirmed the working fire and a second alarm was dispatched to the scene. Mount Carmel Engine 3 took the address and had smoke showing from multiple addresses in the middle of a row. Engine 1 went to the rear of the row which had heavy fire showing from the rear of 242 South Beech. Engine 1 laid hundreds of feet of LDH and secured a water supply. Truck 2 and Engine 2 came down Beech Street and Engine 2 secured an additional water supply at the A/D Corner of the row.
Shamokin Truck 32 position at the A/B corner of the row and flew the stick to the roof and crews went to perform vertical ventilation. Heavy smoke was now showing from multiple addresses. A third alarm was placed on stand by and quickly upgraded to a response into the scene.
Shamokin Rescue 62 and Englewood Engine 369 responded and provided a Rapid Intervention Team in the front of the building. Ashland Ladder 38-25 arrived on the scene and positioned on the B side and flew to the roof to ventilate an additional roof.
Heavy smoke continued to pour from the roof line which was quickly followed by heavy fire through the roof. Evacuation tones were sounded.
Firefighters then began to hit the fire with deck guns, ground monitors and additional hand lines from both the front and rear of the buildings.
After a large amount of water was poured onto the building, command allowed crews to re-enter the buildings. Crews went back into multiple addresses while others went on the roof to continue to open up.
About an hour and half after the initial alarm, the fire was brought under control. Firefighters continued to overhaul the building before third alarm companies began to get released around 10AM.
In total, seven homes were damaged by the fire. Firefighters remained on the scene well into the afternoon before returning to station to begin cleaning the massive amount of equipment used. No serious injuries were noted on the scene. The American Red Cross was also on the scene assisting those displaced by the fire.
