The Long Grove Fire District was called on Monday to inspect a house in unincorporated Palatine where a car had previously rolled into the side of the structure. Fire officials found a corner of the brick house with extensive damage and an attached enclosed deck that was also damaged and collapsing away from the house.
Damage to the deck and the house is apparent from this view. Larry Shapiro photo
Firefighters take measurements for the bracing that they will install. Larry Shapiro photo
Ellis clamps were used in the rear to stabilize the deck against a large tree. Larry Shapiro photo
A cutting station was setup in the driveway. Larry Shapiro photo
Another brace is added to support the sagging deck. Larry Shapiro photo
Workers cut wood as directed by the technicians that are designing the structural bracing. Larry Shapiro photo
Firefighters work to support the damaged porch from creating further destruction to the house. Larry Shapiro photo
A structural collapse response was initiated to shore up the deck to prevent further damage to the house. In addition to Long Grove units, Buffalo Grove Tower 25, Palatine Rural Ambulance 36, and squads from Lincolnshire-Riverwoods, Barrington, Libertyville, Lake Zurich, and Buffalo Grove responded with technicians. The Divisions 4&5 roll-off container with supplemental lumber was also requested to replenish the supplies that were depleted from the on-scene squads.
Techs work to install bracing underneath the deck. Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro was at the scene and submitted several images.
Another vertical brace is installed to support the deck. Larry Shapiro photo
The techs worked for less than an hour to stabilize the deck preventing further damage to the house.
The finished bracing. Larry Shapiro photo
A view of technicians working in the home's rear yard. Larry Shapiro photo
Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Squad 51 was the primary source of tools and equipment. Larry Shapiro photo
The MABAS Divisions 4&5 lumber trailer was requested to the scene with the roll-off tractor that is housed in Round Lake. Larry Shapiro photo
One of the completed supports under the deck. Larry Shapiro photo
#1 by John C on April 14, 2012 - 2:04 PM
Considering it’s already started to………yes!
Glad to see you’re willing to go out of your way to help your taxpayers…..
#2 by rudy on April 14, 2012 - 1:16 PM
A 6′ wood porch is going to pull down a 2 row brick wall?
#3 by John C on April 11, 2012 - 11:41 PM
Uhhhh Rudy. Do you not see the wall cracking in multiple places and starting to slide out from underneath the roof? Sure seems like structural instability to me.
#4 by Rudy on April 11, 2012 - 6:58 PM
It would be interesting to know how much money was spent on this call. Manpower on scene + Call-back personel + Apparatus fuel + Material used + wear and tear of equipment. None of which will be reimbursed by the homeowners insurance, or should be. Check for any structural damage to the house, if none go home.
#5 by R on April 11, 2012 - 2:03 PM
Risk a little to save a little, risk a lot to save a lot. This deck is trashed and is a loss, it’s not even worth an injury as minor as a back strain or cut finger, all real possibilities. Not to mention using other town rescources through MABAS. If LG wants to sent their techs and pay overtime + callback personnel fine, don’t force other towns to by boxing it.
#6 by Brian on April 11, 2012 - 10:52 AM
I understand the need to drill, especially on this type of incident but were the mutual aid companies brought in hot? If so then that is where the issue is. It is one thing to use this as a drill but to run hot to a non-life threatening incident puts the companies and public in possibly danger when that wouldn’t be needed.
#7 by Eng 17 on April 11, 2012 - 7:59 AM
Tend to agree with whats been written. Actually looks like it is better supported now than befroe it was run into. No way that deck was up to code…
#8 by John C on April 11, 2012 - 5:03 AM
We have all these resources that rarely get used…I don’t see any harm in doing this….even as just a drill.
#9 by Eng 17 on April 10, 2012 - 12:23 PM
Great shoring drill, although it seems to me a chain around a pick-up truck bumper would have been a more appropriate way to handle this LOL.
#10 by RC3 on April 10, 2012 - 9:19 AM
If there is no danger to life, or a rescue involed Then why are we putting our guys at risk to do something that should be done by a private contractor?
#11 by I wonder on April 10, 2012 - 8:13 AM
Let me first say that this looks like a great job done by talented and dedicated individuals. Maybe someone can explain it to me, but I don’t understand why a tech rescue/structural response was called for this. There is no life safety hazard, and that deck is looking like a total loss anyway. This is an enormous amount of tax payer resources expended not to mention personal risk to the responders for something the (auto?) Insurance ought to be paying a lot of money to a specialized contractor to fix. Where do you draw the line on an appropriate use of these free services? A tree fell on my garage and caved in half the roof when I was young, but the fire department did not call out all of Mabas to shore it up and prevent further collapse. They came out and said “nobody hurt or trapped? Good. Sorry about your roof, hope you have insurance. Don’t go in it until you have a contractor and building inspector look at it.” I can see this response in a situation where you are working to extricate a trapped victim underneath it, but accidents and collapses happen all the time and this doesn’t seem an appropriate use for arguably the most advanced, expensive specialty team in the region.