SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PA – Shortly before 10PM on Saturday, December 17, Schuylkill County 9-1-1 dispatched a first alarm structure fire assignment to the 100 Block of West Main Street in Girardville. Fire District 45 (Girardville) was due with Girardville BLS.
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Chief 45 went responding and was advised that a caller was reporting fire on an exterior wall of an occupied dwelling next to the American Legion. The chief quickly arrived on scene and confirmed a working fire with fire showing from the “D” side. A second alarm was requested to the scene.
The second alarm brought an engine and ladder from Ashland, engines from William Penn, Columbia (Shenandoah) and Altamont along with Heavy Rescue 993 (Mahanoy City).
Engine 45-10 was directed to the front of the building where they secured a water supply and stretched a line to the the “D” side while an additional crew stretched a line to the second floor.
Engine 45-11 and Engine 45-12 were sent to the rear of the residence where they secured an additional water supply and a line was stretched off 45-11. Crews quickly knocked down the visible exterior fire as crews advanced the line to the second floor.
The interior crew found the bulk of the fire knocked down and extinguished the remaining fire. Ashland Ladder 38-25 took the address and flew the stick to the roof and prepared for the possibility of vertical ventilation while others laddered the front of the building.
William Penn Engine 888 was directed to the rear of the structure and assist the Girardville crews while Altamont Engine 367 was told to stage their apparatus and send their crew to the basement.
Heavy Rescue 993 was sent to stage in the Ambulance Building parking lot and set up a Rapid Intervention Team in front of the building. Columbia Engine 742 was directed to standby on Main Street.
While crews were working on overhauling the fire room, additional crews checked all other areas of the building and the exposures for extension. Crews found there to be no extension and the fire was placed under control in less than twenty minutes.
By 10:30PM crews were breaking down their equipment and returning to service. Second alarm companies were available from the scene by 11PM and Girardville units were back in station by 11:30PM. One minor injury was reported on the scene.
