Very Close Call in Valley Township: Lightning Strikes Tree, Lights House on Fire
By Fire Chief John Sly
June 19, 2007
On Tuesday, June 19th, 2007 the Westwood Fire Company and a Brush truck from the Pomeroy Fire Company were dispatched at 2045 to the 700 block of Meadowbrook Drive in the Meadowbrook Development for a tree on fire during a significant storm which was moving through the area. A neighbor had called 911 reporting a tree had been struck by lightning and was now smouldering.
Chief Sly responded from the Valley Township Board of Supervisors Meeting held at the Township Building which is close to the location of the call.
Chief Sly arrived on the scene 2 minutes later and met with the resident who called 911. They observed the tree which had been struck and was smouldering approximately 90 feet in the air. While checking the area, significant wood debris from the tree was scattered throughout the yard and damage was noted to the rear of one house. When Chief Sly inquired if the residents were home, he was told by homeowners in the area that they were out of town.
Chief Sly noticed a flickering in the basement window and thought it was an odd situation for a light to be on in a basement of an unoccupied home. Upon further investigation by looking through the basement windows, it was determined that the basement was actually on fire and the flickering was the glow of the flames. Chief Sly requested that the Chester County 911 Center redispatch the fire company with an upgraded response for a house fire, which called units from the Sadsburyville Fire Company and a Tanker from the East Brandywine Fire Company to assist.
While units were responding, Chief Sly entered the home and several neighbors assisted with removing two pets from the home which was filling with smoke. With smoke detectors sounding, Chief Sly did a quick search of the home and proceeded to the basement with a fire extinguisher and was able to put the fire out.
Chief 44 established "Meadowbrook Drive Command" and reported the updated conditions.
Engine 44-5 arrived on location a short time later and the crew was instructed to send a crew of firefighters to the basement to check for additional fire spread. A natural gas line was noted burned through and leaking in the basement. Battalion Chief McWilliams and Lieutenant Kubala coordinated the work in the basement.
Crews from the Sadsburyville Fire Company were requested to shut off the gas to the residence upon their arrival and PECO Gas was contact to respond to the scene.
The basement and first floor of the home was filled with a significant amount of smoke. Deputy Chief DiLuigi coordinated setting up exhaust fans by Westwood and Sadsburyville firefighters to remove the smoke from the home.
With the fire under control at 2057, Pomeroy and East Brandywine Fire Company units were recalled.
Crews spent the next 20 minutes clearing out the smoke from the home. A further investigation around the perimeter of the house noted that portions of the tree which had been struck had actually penetrated the side and rear of the house in multiple areas.
With the tree still smouldering, Assistant Chief Taylor set up Engine 44-5 in a position to discharge the top mounted deluge gun and aim it at the fire burning in the tree. The fire was too high up to reach by a fire hose. All of the visible fire was extinguished.
This incident was very close to escalating into a full scale house fire. Thanks to the coordinated effort by all those on scene, and an alert neighbor for calling in a tree fire, a tragedy was avoided.
All units cleared the scene at 2152.
A special thank you to all the residents in the area who came out with fire extinguishers to try to help! It's always good to know that our community has fire extinguishers for their safety.
Thanks to Bill Dill for the photos.
Units:
Engine 44-5, Rescue 44, Ambulance 44, and Traffic 44
Mutual Aid:
Sadsburyville Engine 31-1, Engine 31-2, and QRS 31, Pomeroy Brush 29, and East Brandywine Tanker 49
Engine 44-5 arrives in the front of the home
A big tragedy was avoided thanks to an attentive neighbor and a curious Fire Chief
Crews check to for fire spread or extension in the basement
The fire burned through the floor joists as well as wiring and a gas line
Exhaust fans were set up at the front door of the home
Debris from the tree was scattered throughout the lawn
Some of the debris struck and damaged the house
Firefighters survey the damage to the exterior of the home
Deputy EMS Chief Biddle and Battalion Chief McWilliams
Assistant Engineer Kellon and Chief Engineer Wharton prepare to use Engine 44-5's deluge gun
Deputy EMS Chief Biddle sets up the deluge gun
Firefighters Bob Gathercole III and Carpenter help direct Deputy EMS Chief to aim the stream at the tree which was a long distance away
