Chicago firefighters were sent to 126 E 47th Street at about 10:30PM (11/17/15). Battalion 5 requested a Still & Box for fire in the one-story commercial structure. Companies were pulled out of the building in short order and they went defensive and the fire was upgraded to a 2-11 Alarm shortly thereafter. The fire communicated to the two-story exposure to the east. The original building collapsed and the exposure was gutted.
There were three tower ladders operating master streams along with 6-6-1 the reserve Snorkel plus multi-versals and the deck gun from Engine 19. Conditions during the fire included strong winds and sporadic rain that was very heavy at times.
Several contributors were at the fire and there will be several posts.
Here are images and a video from Larry Shapiro
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
More photos are at shapirophotography.net
#1 by Marty Coyne on November 20, 2015 - 1:04 PM
TL5 was an emergency purchase of a built unit. Before delivery ALF had to remove the pump and replace with cabinet. Also the basket had two guns, they removed one. You can still see where they removed and sealed off the second gun.
#2 by spoung45 on November 20, 2015 - 11:40 AM
Didn’t Tower 5’s ALF have a pump once it was delivered? but then got pulled out.
#3 by Marty Coyne on November 19, 2015 - 9:49 PM
Mike TL63 does not have a pump. It does have halon on board but no pump.
#4 by Marty Coyne on November 19, 2015 - 9:41 PM
Rj. The pump on 6-6-1 is disconnected as by contract it would have to be staffed by an engineer. It’s fed by a engine co
#5 by Rj on November 19, 2015 - 5:58 PM
Does anyone know if the reserve snorkel still pumps itself or does it get supplied by an engine directly to the waterway?
#6 by Rj on November 19, 2015 - 4:12 PM
It’s surviving this long because they don’t beat it up driving around on ambo assits etc, it just sits. Unfortunately, it probably wouldn’t last a week in front line service. Also the department’s only quint… They’d have to have an engineer for it.
#7 by mike on November 19, 2015 - 7:36 PM
I don’t think the snorkel is a quint. I don’t think it has a tank and it doesn’t have any ladders on it. Tower 63 has a pump on it too, I think, and in not sure if it’s staffed with a driver or an engineer
Pingback: 2-11 Alarm commercial fire in Chicago, IL – November 17, 2015 | FireScenes.Net
#8 by David on November 19, 2015 - 2:29 AM
Looks like the bad weather made for some pretty neat shots, especially the rainy pic of Eng. 16, also the last two photos, great stuff!
#9 by Chuck on November 19, 2015 - 12:24 AM
The company that “picks it up” is usually the company it’s based with – Engine 35. Although I think Engine 57 might be the backup if 35 is unavailable.
Pingback: Chicago 2-11 Alarm fire, 11-17-15 (part 3) | chicagoareafire.com
Pingback: Chicago 2-11 Alarm fire, 11-17-15 (part 2) | chicagoareafire.com
#10 by spoung45 on November 18, 2015 - 2:32 PM
well since it is a “reserve” they don’t have to have a(pay for) full staffing on it, only one guy to drive it to the fire(along with what ever company picks it up)
#11 by Brian on November 18, 2015 - 2:18 PM
I’m surprised they haven’t looked at remounting the boom to a newer chassis. Smeal having the rights and building Snorkels will be an interesting thing to watch moving forward.
#12 by Marty Coyne on November 18, 2015 - 1:53 PM
Smeal bought the rights to Snorkel from the defunct ALF. They are ramping up to make them so new ones will be available.
Agree CFD gets a lot of use from this ancient rig. It has gone OOS and broken down when it’s been special called. It’s well overdue for replacement but I highly highly doubt we’ll see that anytime in the foreseeable future.
#13 by John on November 18, 2015 - 1:34 PM
I’ve been thinking the same thing…
#14 by Patrick on November 18, 2015 - 8:55 AM
For a piece of equipment that no one seems to want to build anymore — and that the CFD has put in “reserve”, that Snorkel sure gets a lot of work.