A video has been assembled showing firefighting operations at the Happy Land Pet Center fire on Sunday in Beach Park. Previous posts are HERE and HERE.
Firegeezer.com has a report HERE entitled
Posts Tagged pet store fire on Wadsworth Road in Beach Park
More images from the extra alarm fire on Sunday in Beach Park.
Firefighters from the Countryside FPD force a door on the west side of the building to gain access to the heavy fire burning inside. Tim Olk photo
Five trucks were at the scene including Grayslake, Mundelein, Winthrop Harbor, Lake Forest and Gurnee. The last three mentioned went to work. The other units remained in staging while their crews were put to work.
A firefighter in the bucket of the Lake Forest tower ladder directs a master stream into the building. TIm Olk photo
The Gurnee tower ladder works on fire burning in the attic and through the roof. Tim Olk photo
Just under 3,000 feet of large diameter hose was dropped along Lewis Avenue to a hydrant several blocks away. Larry Shapiro photo
Engines pumping at the fire included two from Beach Park, two from Newport Township, and one from Lake Bluff.Antioch, Countryside, Great lakes, Knollwood, Waukegan, and Zion also sent engines.
Beach Park Engine 1222 is pumping in-line, midway between the hose tender and the fire scene. Larry Shapiro photo
Several departments responded with multiple units including Lake Villa with two, Grayslake with two, Antioch with two, Fox Lake with two, and Newport Township with three.
The Newport Township FPD hose tender is on a hydrant several blocks from the fire scene after dropping almost 3,000 feet of 5" hose. Larry Shapiro photo
Working off a hydrant on another block, firefighters from Fox Lake refill their tanker to shuttle water back to the portable tanks near the scene. Larry Shapiro photo
Fox Lake responded with a squad on the fire box and a tanker on the tanker box. Libertyville also sent a squad on one of the fire box alarms.
Since the local water main was not sufficient to supply the amount of water being deployed at the fire, a tanker shuttle was initiated where up to three tankers could simultaneously dump into a series of four portable tanks that were tied together. Here, tankers from Antioch, Fox Lake, and Beach Park discharge water into the free-standing tanks that are being used by a Newport Township engine and a Lake Bluff engine who are supplying two of the master streams. Larry Shapiro photo
Eight tankers were shuttling water including Antioch, Beach Park, Bristol (WI), Fox Lake, Grayslake, Lake Villa, Newport Township, and Round Lake.
Water flows freely after a section of the large diameter hose failed. Larry Shapiro photo
Ambulances on the scene included Beach Park, Highwood, Lake Villa, and Pleasant Prairie (WI).
Several hours after the fire broke out, the building suffered a major structural collapse. Larry Shapiro photo
A video will be posted tomorrow. Additional fire scene images can be viewed HERE and HERE.
Police officers reportedly spotted a fire early this morning at the Happyland Pet Store located at 11432 W. Wadsworth Road in Beach Park. First arriving companies found heavy smoke the the alarm was upgraded very quickly.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that:
The Beach Park Fire Department said firefighters were called to the building that houses the Happyland Pet Center, 11432 W. Wadsworth Road, at 6:06 a.m.
Initial reports said a person was trapped in one of the apartments above the store, but all residents of the building were able to escape the fire.
The Chicago Tribune has an article which states that:
A Beach Park pet store was completely destroyed this morning after a blaze broke out in the basement and killed hamsters, gerbils, fish and reptiles, officials said.
Firefighters were alerted about 6 a.m. to the Happyland Pet Center located at 11432 W. Wadsworth Rd. and found heavy smoke, said Beach Park Fire Department Chief Paul Tierney.
Firefighters went into rescue mode and searched the upstairs of the structure when a flashover occurred. A water supply issue at the scene slowed down firefighting efforts and assisting companies were called in from 15 surrounding communities including Waukegan, Zion and Newport, Tierney said. About 75 firefighters were called to the scene.
“The fire had been burning for quite some time before we were called,” said Tierney. He added the fire originated in a concrete bunker-type basement that had only one entrance.
Jeff Rudolph, Tim Olk, and Larry Shapiro all went to the scene. Jeff arrived shortly after the 2nd Alarm was pulled and submitted several images.
Smoke pushes out of the front of the pet store building, Jeff Rudolph photo
Heavy fire is seen on the second floor which was living space. Jeff Rudolph photo
The fire on the second floor breaks through the roof as firefighters use hand lines in the rear. Jeff Rudolph photo
The Winthrop Harbor truck working an elevated master stream from the west side of the building (the 'B' sector) as heavy fire vents through the roof. Jeff Rudolph photo
The Lake Forest tower ladder was one of three trucks working at the scene. Jeff Rudolph photo
The entire second floor, attic, and roof are well involved as seen from the rear. Jeff Rudolph photo
Smoke pushes out of the first and second floors as tower ladders from Gurnee and Lake Forest work on opposite sides of the building. Larry Shapiro photo
A Beach Park engine works of a hydrant near the building, but the operation required more water than the main could handle so a tanker shuttle was instituted. Larry Shapiro photo
After the main fire on the second floor was knocked down, fire continued to burn in the rear and the basement for quite some time. Larry Shapiro photo
The Winthrop Harbor quint was relocated to the B-C corner and was put to work again. Larry Shapiro photo
A gallery of Jeff’s images is available HERE. Tim Olk has images available for viewing HERE. Larry Shapiro has a gallery which can be viewed HERE.
More images and a video will be added later.
