This from Larry Shapiro:
During the sub-zero temperatures on Friday, 12/23/22, Des Plaines, North Maine, Niles, and Park Ridge firefighters handled a fire at 221 Good Avenue. The house was just blocks from North Maine Station 1. The fire was in the floor near the rear of the house over a crawl space.
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
This from Jimmy Bolf:
Des Plaines house fire – 11-10-22
Jimmy Bolf photo
Jimmy Bolf photo
Jimmy Bolf photo
Jimmy Bolf photo
Jimmy Bolf photo
Jimmy Bolf photo
A Des Plaines firefighter working in the fire prevention bureau spotted smoke from the eaves of a house at 501 S. Mt. Prospect Road Monday just before 2PM. After speaking with individuals outside the home, he called RED Center to report the house fire. He then entered the home to convince two people to evacuate and subsequently reentered to complete a secondary search.
The working fire response brought three engines, two chief officers, and four Des Plaines ambulances, a chief, truck, and ambulance from Mount Prospect, a chief and truck from Prospect Heights, a Wheeling engine, and a Niles truck. Des Plaines Battalion 61 and Truck 61 were both training at NIPSTA and responded from there.
The origin of the fire was believed to be a second story bathroom, but the entire second floor attic space of the split-level home was involved when suppression companies arrived.
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Excerpts from the journal-topics.com:
The Des Plaines Fire Department responded to a single-family home just south of Oakton Street at 3:14 p.m. Tuesday afternoon and arrived to find heavy smoke coming out of the home. The only occupant had escaped unharmed. Crews from multiple area departments assisted at the scene while also battling 95-degree heat.
After the blaze at 1817 Lee St., fire officials pointed to an already problematic window air conditioner unit plugged into an extension cord as the cause of the fire.
The fire department’s investigation concluded that the fire started at the center and rear rooms of the house. At one point, a power line burned away from its connection to the home, creating an electrical hazard as the live power line fell in the backyard and across a metal fence.
The Red Cross was contacted to help the resident with relocation from the now-uninhabitable home, with damage estimates over $100,000.
From Max Weingardt
Working Fire at 459 Good Ave
Max Weingardt photo
Max Weingardt photo
Max Weingardt photo
Max Weingardt photo
Des Plaines firefighters responded to 701 Albany Lane shortly after noon Tuesday for a fire. Companies arrived to find fire in the attic and through the roof of a two-story house. The fire was knocked down within 20 minutes and out of town companies were released not long after arriving in the staging area.
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Two-part video from Larry Shapiro of the Box Alarm house fire in Des Plaines, 8-16-19
Des Plaines firefighters were called to a house at 555 Leahy Circle East late Friday night for a fire in the basement. A header was visible while units were en route and the alarm was upgraded to a working fire before arrival. Dispatch advised of hoarder conditions at the residence which was confirmed on arrival by the first company officer walking around the exterior. The residents were already out of the house and firefighters had difficulty entering the premises. Several vent holes were cut in the roof before companies were ordered off and then out of the structure for setting up a defensive posture. The basement fire traveled to the second floor and areas of the first floor had been compromised. Hand lines were directed through windows and doorways but it remained difficult to reach the seat of the fire due to the clutter.
The incident was upgraded to a Box Alarm for additional resources after withdrawing personnel from the interior. Eventually lines were shut down to let the fire burn until it was visible and accessible from the outside and then companies again attacked the flames. One tower ladder was utilized with a ground level master stream through the front door and living room before it was able to be positioned above the house with access to the fire that vented through the roof. Hand lines were deployed on all sides of the house.
The bulk of the fire was contained by 4AM with companies working at the scene for several more hours.
All Des Plaines units were at the scene along with mutual aid from Prospect Heights, Mount Prospect, The North Maine FPD, Elk Grove Township FPD, Wheeling, Park Ridge, Chicago Squad 7, Rosemont, Bensenville, and Glenview.
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
From a reader:
Here’s a better photo of first arriving DES PLAINES Eng. 63 & Twr 63 interior fire fight of course
Arrival photo of the house fire at 625 Millers Road in Des Plaines 12/15/18
For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
