NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, PA – At 2222 hours on Saturday, March 12, Northampton County 911 dispatched a local alarm to 4613 West Mountain View Drive, Mama’s Pizza, in Lehigh Township for a commercial structure fire. The local alarm included Lehigh Twp. Station 47, Walnutport Truck 4421, Allen Twp. Tender 4531, Laury’s Station Tanker 1221 and Northampton Regional EMS 49.
Chief 4751 went responding and was advised that as the dispatch was going out, Lehigh Twp. Police arrived on scene with smoke showing. The chief requested the first alarm be filled out.
Allen Twp. Engine 4512, Laury’s Station Engine 1221 and Northampton Truck 4221 (RIT) were dispatched to fill out the box.
4756 arrived on the scene and confirmed a worker with smoke showing. 4751 arrived on scene shortly after and assumed Fire 47 Command. Command was reporting fire was visible from the top of the ducts.
Truck 4421 was the first unit on the air and was directed to take the parking lot on the “D” side, fly the stick and open up the roof. Engine 4712 was directed to the front of the building and stretch two attack lines. Command stated there was fire on the first and second floors. Tanker 4731 dropped its portable pond and hooked a supply line to 4712. Laury’s Tanker 1221 arrived and dumped their water.
Command assigned Engine 1211 to set up a fill site at Berlinsville Heights and Aspen Drive.
Accountability and the manpower staging area was set up at the front of 4712 with 4756 as the accountability officer.
With fire attack underway and crews working to open up the building, all hands were at work. Command requested Slatington Engine 2411 be dispatched heavy. Whitehall Rescue 4041 was requested to stand by in Station 47. Nancy Run was also dispatched for Air 14.
The bulk of the fire was darkened down within twenty minutes. Crews were then faced with searching for hidden fire. Firefighters encountered a metal roof on the building which hindered speedy operations. Due to the efficient work of the attack crews, a tanker shuttle was never initiated.
At the time of the fire, Mama’s Pizza was closed and the tenant that occupies the apartment above was not home. The fire is still under investigation by the fire marshal.
