Posts Tagged Chicago Engine 23

Chicago FD Still & Box Alarm 8-11-13

This from Eric Haak on the Still & Box Alarm fire yesterday on Blue Island Avenue:

About 1150 hrs on Sunday, Engine 23 reported they had smoke from the roof of a 2-story, 400 x 100 commercial structure just off the corner of Blue Island and Damen.  The building is part of the large production complex for Hofmeister Hams.  The fire was boxed just after noon by the 4th Battalion.  First arriving companies worked a line on the roof along with a 2 1/2 that went interior.  The fire was brought under control fairly quickly.  Companies on the still were Engine 23 & Tower Ladder 5, Engine 18 and Truck 8 with Battalion 2 and Truck 32 as RIT.  I did not see any of the box engines used as they were staged down on Cermak.  There were roofers working on the building but I did not hear of any definitive causes.  The first photo below was taken about 10 minutes after first companies arrived.

 

Chicago Fire Department

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Fire Department

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Fire Department

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Fire Department

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Fire Department

Eric Haak photo

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chicago Still & Box Alarm fire 8-11-13

This from Steve Redick:

Today, 2386 Blue island Ave.; Roof fire on a commercial building. It appears roofers were working with torches, I assume on some kinda multi-ply roofing. Some moderate smoke for a bit, lots of roof work. TL 5 reported making something like 7 or 8 vent holes in the roof. The building was sprinklered and as you can see in the photos the siamese was charged, early in the incident. Several handlines were used interior from what I could tell. An interesting job, and pretty tough on the members doing the work.

The video will be on youtube here:  http://youtu.be/NAWhWfwTVyg

Steve

Chicago Fire Department

Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department

Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department

Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department

Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department

Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department

Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department

Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department

Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department

Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department

Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department

Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department

Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department

Steve Redick photo

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chicago 4-11 Alarm Fire 12-29-12 (pt 5)

Fifth article about the 4-11 Alarm fire on Saturday at 2444 W. 21st Place in Chicago.

Images from Dave Weaver:

 

Chicago 4-11 Alarm massive fire at commercial warehouse facility 12-29-12 at 2444 S. 21st Street

Big header seen while approaching the scene from the north on Western Avenue. Dave Weaver photo

Chicago 4-11 Alarm massive fire at commercial warehouse facility 12-29-12 at 2444 S. 21st Street

Massive fire and smoke consume the building at 2444 W. 21st Street in Chicago on 12-29-12 as seen from the northwest. Dave Weaver photo

Chicago 4-11 Alarm massive fire at commercial warehouse facility 12-29-12 at 2444 S. 21st Street

Firefighters from Engine 23 with Tower Ladder 5 (using a spare apparatus) monitor a multi-versal at the west end of the block . Dave Weaver photo

 

Images from Dan McInerney:

Chicago fire department engine pumping at fire

Engine 18. Both 18 & 5 pumping to the fireground and connected to hydrants using hard suction. Dan McInerney photo

Chicago fire department engine pumping at fire

Engine 5 pumping to the Tower Ladder 39. Dan McInerney photo

Chicago FD Air Mask Unit 6-4-4-

Air Mask Unit 6-4-4. Dan McInerney photo

Chicago fire department engine pumping at fire

E109 pumping to E23 which was under the viaduct. 109 was a still engine and connected two sections of 4 inch hose to the hydrant. The remaining engines arriving connected via hard suction hose per CFD operating procedures for large fires. Engines arriving on the 2-11 alarm and above will make their connections using the 6 inch hard suction hose. Dan McInerney photo

Chicago fire department engine

E99 was sent to lay lines if needed to the roof to cover flying brands. Dan McInerney photo

Chicago fire engine pumping at a fire scene

E44 pumping to a multi-versal on the southeast corner of the building. Dan McInerney photo

Chicago fire engine pumping at a fire scene

E103 seen receiving water from E28 down the street from the east and from a hydrant. Dan McInerney photo

Chicago fire engine pumping at a fire scene

E65 is seen pumping to E26. E65 is shown connected to the hydrant using the lightweight suction hose. There are two types of lightweight suction hose – the first is hose that is to be used for suction only (negative pressure) and not to be connected to a pressurized hydrant (positive pressure). The type of lightweight suction hose the CFD now issues to rigs is reinforced internally to be able to withstand positive pressure. Dan McInerney photo

fire hydrant being used during a fire

The type of lightweight suction hose the CFD now issues to rigs is reinforced internally to be able to withstand positive pressure. The reinforcing matrix is visibile as a white colored lattice underneath the clear sections of the hose. Dan McInerney photo

Chicago Fire Department truck 52

T52 – rig shot while in staging. Dan McInerney photo

CTA Emergency Response Unit

CTA emergency unit 202. This unit respond citywide for any emergency involing the EL tracks or CTA property. In this case they responded to the scene due to the fire’s proximity to the Pink Line, which was shut down early on in the fire. Dan McInerney photo

People's Gas Company crew working at fire scene

Peoples Gas was requested to shut down the gas to the building. To do so, they had to dig a hole in the street, which is visible here underneath the sheets of plywood and cones. It was later requested they use their front end loader to clear the street of bricks from the collapse so TL54 could be moved west down 21st St. to better wash down the ruins. Dan McInerney photo

Chicago Fire Department engine working at fire scene

E23 (still engine) took a postion underneath the railroad viaduct directly to the west of the fire building. This spot left the rest of 21st St. open for responding truck companies, and also provided them some protection from falling debris should the building collapse. The viadust later flooded due to the fire streams being used on the building. At it’s height there were at least 11 master streams being employed. At a slightly conservative 500gpm each, a minimum of around 6000gpm for 2 plus hours will flood any viaduct, and they usually do flood. Dan McInerney photo

Chicago Fire Department Truck 7 at fire scene

T7 rig shot ( RIT truck at the 4-11). Dan McInerney photo

Chicago Fire Department Truck 48 at fire scene

Truck 48 with the ladder to the roof of a nearby building. Dan McInerney photo

4-11 alarm commercial building fire in Chicago 12-29-12 at 2444 W. 21st Street

Unmanned multiversals on the SW corner of the fire building. Dan McInerney photo

The previous post was HERE.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

CFD Apparatus History – Ward LaFrance (1973)

Part 3 in the series covering Ward LaFrance and the Chicago Fire Department:

In 1973, Chicago received an additional five Ward LaFrance P80 Ambassador engines. Four of these had 1,500-GPM pumps and were assigned to Engine 23 (D-389), Engine 29 (D-390), Engine 57 (D-391), and Engine 67 (D-392). The remaining engine had a 1,750-GPM pump and went to Engine 74 (D-393). All had 500-gallon water tanks.

Engine 74 with the 1,750-GPM pump had several differences in trim design which gave it a different look than the other 1973 models. The pump panel was painted red and did not have the polished panel like the other units. In addition, the wide steel band which wrapped the front doors and cab face of the other units was omitted from Engine 74.

Unlike the units which came in 1970, these engines had the large company numbers relegated to the rear compartment and another number was on the cab face. Also, “Chicago Fire Dept.” was now lettered on both sides of the cab under the jump-seat window as well as on the cab roof over the windshield. The handrail at the back of the cab no longer ran the full width as these engines had a multi-versal that was stored on the roof.

Chicago Fire Department 1973 Ward LaFrance Ambassador P80 engine 23

Chicago Engine 23 was assigned shop #D-389. Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department 1973 Ward LaFrance Ambassador P80 engine 29

This image of Engine 29 shows the officer's side of the 1973 Ward LaFrance Model 80 engines that were built with the Ambassador series cab. Jack Connors photo

Chicago Fire Department Engine 57 1973 Ward LaFrance Ambassador

Engine 57 had one of four 1973 Ward LaFrance Ambassador engines with a 1,500-GPM pump. Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago Fire Department 1973 Ward LaFrance Ambassador P80 engine 67

Engine 67 received one of the five units delivered by Ward LaFrance in 1973. Jack Connors photo

Chicago Fire Department Engine 74 Ward LaFrance

Chicago Engine 74 had a 1973 Ward LaFrance engine that varied slightly from the others. It had a 1,750-GPM pump and slightly different body styling. Larry Shapiro photo

Shop #D-393, the one unit with a 1,750-GPM pump that was originally assigned to Engine Company 74, was later reassigned to Engine 104.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chicago 3-11 Alarm fire 12-27-11

Chicago companies were dispatched to a reported fire Tuesday evening at 2626 W. Roosevelt Road, a vacant, block long building bounded by Washtenaw and the railroad tracks. Engine 107 whose house is around the corner was first on the scene and reported fire on the second floor. Battalion 4 requested a still and box alarm reporting a two-story, large brick warehouse. Early on the fire fight went defensive with elevated master streams and a deck gun from Engine 107. The fire was upgraded to a 2-11 within about 20 minutes and a 3-11 was requested a half hour later by 2-1-22 when there were no longer companies in the staging area. A Level I Haz Mat was also requested after the 3-11 was in. Tower Ladder 5, Tower Ladder 10 and Squad 1’s Snorkel were working with master streams on Roosevelt Road. Roughly an hour into the fire companies began moving inside to hit the remaining spot fires before the fire was struck out between around 9:30PM.

Chicago 3-11 alarm fire 12-27-11 at 2626 W Roosevelt Road

Engine 107, the Still Alarm engine, uses a deck gun in Sector 1 on Roosevelt Road. Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago 3-11 alarm fire 12-27-11 at 2626 W Roosevelt Road

Firefighters from Squad 1 bed the Snorkel so they can reposition it elsewhere. Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago 3-11 alarm fire 12-27-11 at 2626 W Roosevelt Road

Tower Ladder 5, the only American LaFrance/LTI on the roster, sits near the intersection of Roosevelt and Talman. Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago 3-11 alarm fire 12-27-11 at 2626 W Roosevelt Road

Looking east down Roosevelt, Truck 7, Tower 10, Tower 5 and Squad 1 are positioned in front of the building. Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago 3-11 alarm fire 12-27-11 at 2626 W Roosevelt Road

Engine 109 at Roosevelt and Washtenaw is supplying companies in front of the fire building. Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago 3-11 alarm fire 12-27-11 at 2626 W Roosevelt Road

After repositioning the Snorkel, the boom goes up at the east end of the building by Engine 107. Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago 3-11 alarm fire 12-27-11 at 2626 W Roosevelt Road

After the master streams hit the bulk of the fire, companies in the rear enter the building to deploy hand lines. Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago 3-11 alarm fire 12-27-11 at 2626 W Roosevelt Road

Light Wagon 9-1-5 was setup in the rear of the building and provided light so companies could work safely. Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago 3-11 alarm fire 12-27-11 at 2626 W Roosevelt Road

Command Van 2-7-1 was parked east of the viaduct on Roosevelt Road. Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago 3-11 alarm fire 12-27-11 at 2626 W Roosevelt Road

Engine 23 was supplying companies from east of the viaduct on Roosevelt Road. Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago 3-11 alarm fire 12-27-11 at 2626 W Roosevelt Road

Engine 18 was on a hydrant at Roosevelt and Campbell Avenue. Larry Shapiro photo

Tim Olk and Larry Shapiro went to the scene. Tim reported early on that smoke was heavy and banking low on Roosevelt Road. There was not much fire to be seen and photographed.

Larry has a gallery that can be found HERE.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

CFD Reserve Squad

There has been a thread with several comments lately about the current status of Engine 23’s previous rig, the 2000 American LaFrance Eagle engine which is in the spare fleet. We learned from several readers that the pump had been removed and replaced with a large compartment to enable this to be run as a spare squad piece. Jack Connors found this reserve squad unit recently running as the second piece for Squad 5 and he was able to grab a few shots of it when they were on a run. He submitted the shots so that all could see just what the unit looks like. This carries shop #D572.

Chicago Fire Department reserve squad X-engine 23

The new Chicago Fire Department spare rescue unit that was formerly Engine 23's 2000 American LaFrance engine. This photo shows a roll-up compartment door where the pump enclosure used to be. Jack Connors photo

Chicago Fire Department reserve squad Engine 23 American LaFrance Eagle

The officer's side of the new reserve squad unit shows the transverse compartment in place of the pump module. Otherwise it doesn't appear that there are any other changes. Jack Connors photo

Tim Olk also ran across this rig at a 2-11 Alarm fire at 118th and Yale.

Chicago Fire Department reserve squad X-Engine 23

Squad 5 was working at a 2-11 at 118th and Yale when Tim Olk grabbed this shot of the new reserve squad piece running as their spare. Tim Olk photo

Tags: , , , , , , ,