Images from Tim Olk of a fire Friday afternoon in Prospect heights.
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Box alarm fire in Prospect heights, 10/10/14
#1 by Bill Post on October 13, 2014 - 1:16 AM
Thanks for printing the dispatch log Drew.
#2 by Drew Smith on October 12, 2014 - 9:46 PM
From the CAD:
02:35PM Fri 10/10/2014 CFS:3 STRUCTURE FIRE. Loc:1425 COVE DR ,PH PH APT#: GRID:3974 Date/Time:10/10/2014 14:35:15 From RED CTR
02:40PM Fri 10/10/2014 CFS:4 CODE 4 Loc:1427 QUAKER LN ,PH PH APT#: GRID:3974 Date/Time:10/10/2014 14:35:15 From RED CTR
02:57PM Fri 10/10/2014 INFORMATION PROSPECT HEIGHTS HAS ACTIVATED BOX # 3970 TO THE BOX ALARM LEVEL From RED CTR
Initial Code 3 response:
Engine 39
Squad 9
Tower 9
Engine 23 (Wheeling)
Ambulance 2 (Arlington Heights)
Battalion 9
PHFD Command Staff (900, 901, 3901)
Code 4 (working fire) response:
Engine 14 (Mount Prospect)
Tower 12 (Northbrook)
Squad 51 RIT (Lincolnshire-Riverwoods)
Ambulance 55 (Long Grove)
2401 Wheeling Deputy Chief
Long Grove Chief 5500
PHFD general call back
Box alarm: Box # 9F3970
E2 (Arlington Heights)
E20 (Deerfield-Bannockburn)
Engine from Palatine (not sure of exactly which company)
TW63 (Des Plaines)
SQ29 (Northfield)
A11 (Elk Grove Twp.)
North Maine Chief 100
Arlington Heights Deputy Chief 101
1100 Northbrook Chief
Comm 3 (Command Van)
MESS Canteen
RIT:
North Maine Battalion 1
North Maine Engine 1
Niles Truck 2
Box alarm change of quarters to Station 9
Glencoe Engine 30
Rolling Meadows Ambulance 15
All companies were at Station 9 for training when the initial alarm was transmitted. Battalion 9 arrived first and transmitted smoke showing from the second floor of a two-story, four-unit townhome, declared a working fire and requested the Code 4 (additional companies due on a working fire). I arrive just ahead of B9 but parked out on the main street to keep the cul-de-sac clear. I then walked down to the buggy of B9. This complex, Quincy Park, has a U-shaped street with 26 cul-de-sacs and a 48 of these four-unit buildings. Almost everyone of the buildings has a slightly different floor plan with some units being one-story on the end, some units being two-stories, and some units being either the first or second floor of a two-story. The garages usually face the cul-de-sacs while the front doors are oriented towards a kind of common path on the opposite side of the garage.
Engine 39, the first to arrive engine backed down to side A and began a leadout of their 2&1/2 bed. The LT announced he was conducting a 360. E39 had a hydrant right next to the fire building and secured their own water supply. At this time the smoke was building in volume, velocity, and density. The color was changing to a very dark grey and it was apparent that the fire was in the east exterior wall that separates the one-story east end unit from the rest of the building. It was also communicating into the attic and smoke under pressure was venting from both the north and south gable ends.
Battalion 9 declared the garage side as side A and ordered Tower 9 to back down and setup. The tower crew threw a ground ladder to the roof as well and began to check attic conditions. Squad 9 and Wheeling Engine 23 went to backup E39 on the interior. E39 located the fire on the second-floor but could make little progress as the bulk of the fire was in the exterior wall and moving into the attic. At this time the safety officer, Wheeling Deputy Chief 2401, noted the ceiling of the first floor sagging and two or three floor joists completely burned through. E39 was ordered out. S9 began to open the east wall from the exterior and apply water. E23 conducted a primary search of the adjacent units and reported an all clear with no fire in the units but that the attic was charged. Northbrook Tower 12 threw a ladder to the gable end of the C side and took a line to the attic. TW9 was ordered off the roof and to open the gable end from the basket of TW9. TW9 engineer prepared a water supply should its elevated stream had been necessary.
The two hand lines made quick work of the attic fire. Two additional hand lines were used to support overhaul and the search for any additional fire in the other units of the building. Besides the above companies, Mount Prospect Engine 14 and Des Plaines Tower 63 (formerly 83) assisted with salvage and overhaul. The initial RIT was Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Squad 51. Arlington Heights Ambulance 2 was assigned EMS. North Maine Battalion 1 and Engine with Niles Truck 2 formed the RIT from the MABAS box alarm. Once the fire was knocked there was about 2 hours of overhaul. Eventually the RIT companies were reassigned to overhaul, the other companies sent to rehab, and most of the box companies released. When overhaul began it was decided that the two floor joist were a minor issue and that companies could work in that area. However, it soon was determined that the floor was sagging and bouncing due to work in the area and the water weight in the mattress of the bed directly above. S51 along with TW12 and S9 installed a 4×5 “T” shore so overhaul could be completed and the fire investigators could work above. Rehab was managed by North Maine Chief 100 and Long Grove Ambulance 55 and, as always, the MESS Canteen was a big plus. Besides the above chiefs, Arlington Heights Deputy Chief 101 covered the A side, I covered the C side, Northbrook Chief 1100 assumed staging for the box alarm companies, and the Long Grove Chief 5500 and Prospect Heights Chief 900 assisted B9 at the command post.
In the first ten minutes the fire conditions escalated while the initial attack was undertaken. Before the full initial alarm assignment arrived (the Code 3 and Code 4 suppression companies) the battalion had created assignments for all of them and so the box alarm was then requested to assemble future resources. By the time the box companies arrived the attic and east wall were knocked and overhaul was beginning. I am extremely proud of the strong work by both the Prospect Heights and mutual aid companies. At no time was there any freelancing and company unity was solid throughout the incident.
Drew Smith
Deputy Chief
Prospect Heights Fire Protection District