Recent Incidents
Rescue 6-6, Engine 6-6-3 Assist LCFD with 4 Alarm Fire
By
Jul 3, 2005 - 2:08: PM

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First 3 photos of the slide show were taken by LTFD Fire Chief Glenn Usdin. Balance of photos and graphics produced by Lt. Greg Leaman

Lancaster City Fire Department was dispatched at 9:43 a.m., Sunday July 3, when witnesses saw smoke puffing from the third floor eaves of the buildings at the intersection of N. Duke and E. James St. in Lancaster City, PA.

The first arriving unit which was a LEMSA ambulance (6-12-1), reporting a working fire. Hose lines were stretched to the third floor of the buildings where firefighters found heavy fire in the cock loft.

The fire spread across the exterior of the roof and began to involve both buildings.

Ground ladders were placed around the buildings to access the roof area. A ladder truck could not be used due to powerlines in front of the building.

About 40 firefighters fought the blaze from the roof of the joined buildings and from the third floor, where they pulled down ceilings above them. The roof, dormer and soffit of the fire building was removed to gain access to the hidden fire within the wooden structure.

Off duty and vacation personnel were dispatched to the scene to assist with manning reserve equipment and to relieve the initial on-duty firefighters.

Firefighters were pulled from the building twice due to fears of a collapse.

During the coarse of the fire, a nearby contractor brought in lumber to shore up the brick facade of the attic at 510 N. Duke St.

A firefighter rehab area was established by LEMSA medics across the street from the fire building in the cool shadow of a parking garage of the Lancaster General Hospital. Hospital personnel wheeled carts of cold water in packed in ice to the overheated firefighters to help them cool down.

The four alarm fire started in the attic of 510 N. Duke St. and spread to attached 512 N. Duke St., said Lancaster City Battalion Chief Duane Hagelgans.

A paint-stripping heat gun was blamed for the rooftop blaze. The heat from the gun caused animal nests on the other side of the roof to catch fire.

Hagelgans estimated fire damage at 510 N. Duke St. at $50,000 in structural loss and $30,000 in content. The destruction was less severe next door, with about $25,000 in structural damage and $10,000 in content losses.

No one who lived in the building was home at the time of the fire. Residents of 512 N. Duke St., which includes four apartments, were at the scene.

Lancaster City firefighters remained on the scene thru the hot afternoon overhauling the fire building, continuing to shovel insulation out of the buildings’ windows to prevent it from catching fire, until 5:30 p.m., almost eight hours in service.

Assisting the Lancaster City firefighters was Lancaster Township Rescue 6-6 for there air cascade to refill empty cylinders. Lancaster Township Engine 6-6-3 and Lafayette Fire Company Truck 6-3 transferred to Lancaster City stations in the event of additional calls in the city.

First 3 photos of the slide show were taken by Lancaster Township Fire Chief Glenn Usdin. Balance of photos and graphics produced by Lt. Greg Leaman

© Copyright 2004 by Lancaster Township Fire Department