LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. – At 7:16 PM on Sunday, December 16, Luzerne County 9-1-1 sent a first alarm assignment out to 1490 South Church Street in Hazle Township for a reported commercial building fire. The box included Hazle Township Fire/Rescue, APTS Medic 11 and McAdoo BLS.
Hazle Chief 4 was advised of multiple calls received reporting a fire at Triple J Trucking including a call from an alarm company for the location. With the report, Chief 4 requested an engine and ladder out of McAdoo and five additional tankers.
McAdoo Chief 4908 was on the scene shortly after dispatch reporting a working fire with fire in the roof area. 141 Chief 2 requested a Rapid Intervention Team from Hazleton City.
141 Chief 2 arrived on the scene to establish South Church Street Command with smoke showing from a one story commercial building.
Firefighters found heavy smoke showing with some flames visible on the “B” side. 141 Engine 2 arrived and positioned in front of the large garage door on the “A” side behind McAdoo Engine 49-15 who had already arrived on scene. McAdoo Ladder 4922 arrived to take the “B” side followed by 141 Tower 7. Hazleton Rescue 3 staged across the street and set up RIT in front of the building.
Two lines were stretched off Engine 2 through the large garage door on the “A” side into the thick brown smoke filling the entire building as McAdoo firefighters set up their ladder to the roof of the “B” side.
The interior crews located the seat of the fire and began to make a knock while the roof crew cut a vent hole.
Tankers began to arrive and nursed McAdoo Engine who stretched a line to 141 Engine 2 for water supply. Tankers from Harwood, Sheppton-Oneida, Nuremberg-Weston, Hometown, Weatherly, Ryan Township and Mahanoy City responded to the scene.
A fill site was set up by 141 Engine 3 along South Church Street about two miles north of the scene.
The bulk of the fire was knocked down within twenty minutes of crews arriving at the business. The roof crew came down after ventilating and brought ventilation fans to the front door.
Flames and embers were noticed coming from the eaves further down the “B” side which led crews to throwing an additional ground ladder and open up. A firefighter exposed the hidden fire and interior crews were able to extinguish the flames.
By 8:30 most of the tankers had been sent home as firefighters were finishing up with overhaul. A State Police Fire Marshal was called to the scene to help investigate the cause of the fire.
First due units were clear of the scene shortly after 9 PM.
