SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PA – Around 12:15 AM on Saturday, September 15, the Girardville Fire Department along with Girardville EMS was dispatched to the area of 200 Pine Street in Girardville for a reported shed on fire.
Girard Hose Engine 45-11 went responding with Chief 45-01 (Shearn) and was advised multiple calls were being received for a shed well off. Girardville PD Unit 78 was given the fire advisory and arrived on scene to confirm a working fire and told communications it was going to be a house that was on fire, not just a shed. 45-11 arrived to find the fire at Vine and B Streets with heavy fire to the rear of an end of row house. Rangers Engine 45-10 and Chief 45 (Zangari) arrived on the scene and placed at Vine and Ogden Streets.
Crews found a small shed was on fire with extension to a porch and the Delta side of two units. The fire had quickly progressed since the time of dispatch and had made its way into the attic of the houses. The exterior fire was quickly knocked down and crews entered the structure to search for additional fire.
Smoke was seen creeping from the eves of two units once the exterior fire was knocked down. As interior firefighters continued to search for the seat of the fire, a ladder and engine were requested from the Ashland Fire Department.
Ground ladders were thrown as a crew attempted to make the roof to perform vertical ventilation but they found the new owners had fixed the roof with a tarp, making it very unsafe for crews to walk on. Ventilation had to be held until an aerial device arrived on the scene. Meanwhile, crews continued to take out windows and hit the visible fire.
As Ladder 38-25 arrived on scene, smoke was pushing from the attic of a third unit. The aerial was immediately flown to the roof and a crew ascended to the peak A second ladder from Shenandoah was requested to the scene as well along with an engine.
Once the roof was popped command noticed significant changes as the heat and smoke began to exit the building. Fire began to blow out of the vent hole as crews made an interior attack. The smoke began to dissipate from the third unit once a second hole was cut. Crews found the fire had not spread to the third unit.
When Shenandoah Ladder 745 arrived they were placed on Vine Street and flew their aerial to the Charlie side of the roof. An additional crew went to the roof and continued with ventilation.
Firefighters continued to work hard for nearly an hour after the initial alarm was sounded to bring the fire under control. Fresh crews were sent into the structure and began to overhaul the building.
Multiple EMS agencies were brought into the scene to provide rehab and medical attention. One firefighter was transported to a local hospital with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries.
The fire appeared to have grown very rapidly as the fire department was being dispatched. Neighbors to the rear and across the street both received heat damage to their homes even though they were a significant distance away. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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