| Shortly after 1230pm on Saturday August 11, the company was dispatched for the Ladder and Rescue to assist the Avondale Fire Company with a working house fire in the 1700 block of Baltimore Pike.
Kennett Fire Company EMS Captain Matthew Eick was traveling through the area when he noticed a large column of smoke coming from the tree line. Capt. Eick investigated the cause and found a garage fully involved in fire and extending into the home. Capt. Eick notified Chester County Fire Radio of his findings and assumed the Baltimore Pike Command. Ladder 25 (Ruoss) responded a few minutes later with a crew of 5. While the Ladder was enroute, Command requested the second alarm for manpower brining the balance of the fire company. Rescue 25 (Keenan) made the response with 2 bringing the air bank to the scene to refill SCBA bottles.
Upon the arrival of Ladder 25, Asst. Chief Ruoss determined that the driveway was too steep to get the truck close to the house. The crew quickly went into service bringing tools and ladders into the scene. Lt. LaBare and FF Syska carried a 35' extension ladder up the steep hill while Lt. McCarthy and Chief Engineer Maurer used a 16' roof ladder as a base to drag a 24' extension ladder, 2 pike poles, 2 NY hooks and a Cutter's Edge chainsaw up the hill. The steep driveway proved to be a difficult challenge to ascend and a member from the West Grove Fire Co. and the New Garden Township Police Department assisted in dragging the ladders up the hill. The crew from the Rescue was sent into the structure to check for extension.
Once the Ladder crew had made it to the scene, they took a minute to rehydrate before being sent into the manpower pool. Lts. LaBare and McCarthy were sent to the roof to work with Captain 21 (Obenchain) and FF Sweeney in opening the roof and extinguishing any remaining hotspots. After performing all the necessary vertical ventilation and a final wetdown, the Ladder and Rescue were released from the scene.
Special thanks to the Fighting 51st from West Chester for covering Longwood's local while we were on the house fire. |
