SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PA – Shortly after 9:00 AM on Sunday, March 11, 2012 Schuylkill County 911 sent the first alarm assignment to the 300 Block of West Columbus Street for the possible structure fire. The assignment included the Shenandoah Fire Department, Mahanoy City Rescue 993 and Shenandoah ALS.
Chief 740 went responding and was advised that calls were being received reporting a fire on the second floor of the dwelling. A few moments later, the chief was advised that police were on scene reporting smoke showing. The fire was re-dispatched as a working fire.
Squirt 745 and Engine 747 arrived from opposite directions and initiated a fire attack. Crews found a heavy fire load throughout the second floor. Squirt 745 raised their stick in an effort to knock down the fire but were hampered by power and cable lines.
Shortly after arrival, the communications center began receiving reports of a burn victim at the scene. Shenandoah PD Unit 167 confirmed he had a victim with burns to the hands and feet. EMS from Shenandoah quickly found the patient and requested aeromedical for transportation to a burn center. Shenadoah Heights Fire was dispatched to the Shenandoah helipad for the landing zone.
While EMS tended to the patient, fire crews continued to battle the flames. Ladder 745 was set up to the B side of the row and sent the stick to the roof. Crews ascended to the roof for vertical ventilation.
Tanker 759 was positioned to the rear of the structure and multiple lines were stretched.
The bulk of the fire was knocked down within thirty minutes but crews remained on scene into the late morning checking for hot spots and performing mop up operations.
