| On Wednesday, November 21st, 2007, at 21:46 hours the Coatesville City Fire Department and Thorndale Fire Company were dispatched to North Fourth Avenue and Diamond Street in Coatesville City for the reports of a working garage fire. Ladder 43 arrived first on location and reported a working building fire.
Coatesville Deputy Chief Paulukinas was the first arriving officer on location and advised all units that the structure was a 30' by 100' one story building with smoke showing. Deputy Chief Paulukinas also assumed Fleetwood Command and requested a second alarm assignment to be dispatched to the scene.
The second alarm assignment brought in the balance of the Coatesville Fire Department, the Modena Fire Company, a rescue from the Westwood Fire Company and a medic unit from the Brandywine Hospital.
Units arrived on scene and began opening the bay doors and metal windows of the building with saws. Ladder 43 went to the roof and began vertical ventilation. Crews deployed numerous hand lines to the interior of the building where they were met by heavy fire conditions and poor visibility. Westwood crews assisted with extinguishing the fire on the second floor of the building and a lot of salvage and overhaul.
Fleetwood Street Command placed the fire under control at 23:09 hours.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Chester County Fire Marshall's Office. Final Westwood units cleared the scene at 01:10 hours.
While assisting the Coatesville Fire Department, the Westwood Fire Company received a second call in East Fallowfield for an odor investigation. Tac 44 responded to this emergency and was assisted by Modena and Pomeroy Fire Companies.
Thanksgiving Eve was a long night for many area volunteer firefighters, thank you to all of the parties involved. Have a safe and happy holiday from the Westwood Fire Company.
Photos courtesy of Firefighter/EMT Bill Dill. |
