Posts Tagged vacant building fire

Maywood Box Alarm 2-19-12

Feb 20

Posted by bgshap in Apparatus on-scene, Fire, Fire Department News, Reader submission | Comments off

The Maywood Fire Department fought a fire early Sunday morning in a vacant three-story building. Companies pulled a Box Alarm as they had heavy fire in the attic and on the top floor at 907 S. 3rd Ave. Both Maywood and Melrose Park’s trucks were working.

Gordon J. Nord., Jr was at the scene and submitted several dramatic images of illustrating the heavy fire and the trucks working.

A Melrose Park lieutenant surveys the rear of the building before putting their aerial to work. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo

The Melrose Park quint goes to work in front of the fire building. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo

Firefighters in the Melrose Park truck inspect conditions on the upper floor after removing plywood from a window. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo

Maywood firefighters work off the tip of their aerial in front of the building. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo

Fire now is through the roof and coming our of the upper floor windows. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo

The Melrose Park truck opens up their master stream. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo

Both trucks apply water through the roof. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo

Maywood firefighters work to gain better access to the fire in the attic. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo

Working to open a larger area, a Maywood firefighter uses a pike pole. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo

Flames escape over the head of a Maywood firefighter working from the aerial. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo

A more extensive gallery can be found HERE.

Tags: building fire in Maywood, fire thourhg the roof of vacant building, firefighters deploy elevated master streams, Gordon J. Nord Jr., Maywood Fire Department, Melrose Park Bronto Sky-Lift, Melrose Park Fire Department, vacant building fire

Long Grove structure fire 9-15-11

Sep 15

Posted by bgshap in Apparatus on-scene, Fire, Fire Department News | 3 Comments

The Long Grove Fire Department received a call this morning about a house on fire at 1889 Checker Road. The fire department had been using the vacant house for training over the past two weeks as eight other departments participated in multiple interior evolutions per day. The training was completed yesterday and the fire department is scheduled to burn the house to the ground for the developer this Saturday morning with area residents in attendance.

Long Grove house fire 1889 Checker Road 9-15-11

Long Grove Squad 55 was in the driveway and supplied five lines. Larry Shapiro photo

Long Grove Tanker 55 supplied the squad with 3,000 gallons of water. Larry Shapiro photo

The call was delayed roughly 20 minutes this morning because the neighbor thought the fire department might still be training. Upon the realization that the fire was unattended, she phoned in the alarm and Long Grove responded with their full assignment including Tanker 55 since there are no hydrants in the area. The header could be seen shortly after leaving the station, and the first unit reported a working fire at the north end of the house where a large stack of wooden pallets had been stored.

The garage was down when firefighters arrived and the pallet storage was well involved. Larry Shapiro photo

Firefighters work a 2-1/2? line around the heaviest fire. Larry Shapiro photo

Firefighters take a line into the house. Larry Shapiro photo

Smoke pushes out of the two-story section of the house as firefighters made an interior attack to stop the fire. Larry Shapiro photo

Tankers were requested from Prospect Heights and Fox Lake since the department wanted to prevent the structure from going to the ground. Engines from Buffalo Grove and Palatine came in as did an ambulance from Arlington Heights for rehab. Much of the house was saved and will be burned on Saturday …

Prospect Heights Tanker 9 brought an additional 3,000 gallons to the scene and was able to nurse the squad just as the Long Grove tanker was out of water. Larry Shapiro photo

Larry Shapiro and Tim Olk were at the scene to photograph the fire.

Long Grove firefighters stand by with a hand line on the exterior of the house. Larry Shapiro photo

The house sat 1/2 mile into the property with a gravel driveway. Rigs had to back down into position. The Fox Lake tanker was the last unit in line and made two trips to refill their 3,000-gallon tank. Larry Shapiro photo

As the fire has been contained, firefighters apply foam to the smoldering areas in an effort to conserve water. Larry Shapiro photo

The pallet pile smolders as firefighters hit hot spots. Larry Shapiro photo

The bulk of the house lives to burn another day. Larry Shapiro photo

A full gallery of images from the fire can be viewed HERE.

A few images from Larry Shapiro from the training which took place over the past two weeks. Galleries can be viewed HERE and HERE.

Long Grove Fire Department live fire training

Buffalo Grove's reserve engine was used during the multiple days of training. Larry Shapiro photo

Multiple evolutions per day were conducted with interior fires and searches for victims. Larry Shapiro photo

Long Grove Engine 55 pumped alongside Buffalo Grove's engine. They drafted out of a series of three portable tanks. Larry Shapiro photo

Wheeling, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods, Palatine, Prospect Heights, Arlington Heights, Lake Zurich, Buffalo Grove, and Barrington all participated in the training. Larry Shapiro photo

As the last day of training came, the fires grew in intensity. Larry Shapiro photo

The final evolution of the multi-day training was in this room on the first floor. Larry Shapiro photo

Tags: Buffalo Grove Fire Department, fire flashover, Fox Lake Fire Department, house fire, Larry Shapiro, live fire training, Long Grove Fire Protection District, Prospect Heights Fire Department, tanker nursing engine, tanker opertations, vacant building fire

North Chicago 3rd Alarm fire + 1 special 9-12-11

Sep 13

Posted by bgshap in Apparatus on-scene, Fire, Fire Department News, Reader submission | Comments off

After 10AM on Monday morning, the North Chicago Fire Department received reports of smoke coming from a building at the vacant Knights Inn Motel property, 2315 Greenbay Road. The first arriving companies entered and found two fires. After attempting an interior fire attack, the ceiling began to give way and they backed out of the building and initiated a defensive attack. A MABAS Box Alarm was struck followed shortly by a 2nd Alarm, a 3rd Alarm roughly an hour later, and eventually one special alarm for relief companies. Departments responding to assist North Chicago were Lake Forest, Gurnee, and Highland Park with trucks, Newport, Deerfield, and Libertyville with squads, Winthrop Harbor, Waukegan, Great Lakes, Knollwood, Lake Bluff, Beach Park, Mundelein, Countryside, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods, and Grayslake with engines.

North Chicago vacant motel fire 9-12-11 arson

Multiple colors of smoke can be seen here as the fire begins to burn through the roof. Jeff Rudolph photo

Heavy smoke and fire blows out the front of the building which most recently housed a night club. Scott Lasker photo

Four aerials with master streams went to work along with multiple hand lines and multi-versals.

A company from Lake Bluff works a hand line into a side door. Jeff Rudolph photo

The Chicago Tribune reported the following information:

North Chicago firefighters will have to find a new place to practice after vandals set a fire this morning that destroyed a vacant building earmarked for fire training.

The fire department had recently received permission to use the building for training. But firefighters were called there for a real emergency shortly after 10 a.m. following a report of smoke coming from the shuttered hotel and restaurant at 2315 N. Green Bay Road, said fire department shift commander Dell Urban.

The complete article can be found HERE.

Jeff Rudolph, Scott Lasker, and Tim Olk went to the fire and submitted images.

The North Chicago tower ladder gets ready to go to work as firefighters hope to burn off some of the roof to allow access to the fire inside the building. Jeff Rudolph photo

Jeff Rudolph had the following description:

Companies responded to a smell of smoke in a vacant building. Companies found a small rubbish fire inside the rear portion of a vacant night club about 100′ x100′. Crews came back in with extingushers, but found a heavier body of fire on the other side of a wall and backed out to grab a hand line. The fire was fueled by foam and other highly combustible materials used in the nightclub, and when crews reentered they where forced out as the ceiling collapsed. Command requested a box that would go up to a third with a special for manpower. Most of the fire was knocked by elevated master streams provided by North Chicago,Lake Forest, Gurnee, and Highland Park. Plywood covered the inside of the front windows . Once the main body of the fire was knocked an excavator was brought in to tear down the structure .

The Lake Forest tower ladder stands ready on Greenbay Road. Scott Lasker photo

Great Lakes Engine 1912 supplied master streams and hand lines from Greenbay Road. Tim Olk photo

Firefighters work from the bucket of North Chicago Tower 9. Tim Olk photo

Lake Bluff Engine 519 was also pumping. Jeff Rudolph photo

Gurnee's tower ladder was one of four aerials using elevated masters streams. Tim Olk photo

Newport Squad 1455 sits staged down the street. Jeff Rudolph photo

Waukegan Fire Department 2011 KME engine

Waukegan responded with two engines, one was Engine 3 with their new KME. Jeff Rudolph photo

After the bulk of the fire has been extinguished, the Lake Forest and North Chicago tower ladders brought their buckets to street level and directed the streams in through the front windows. Tim Olk photo

After the fire was out, this view from a tower ladder basket shows the roof of the building and just how much remained intact. Multiple HVAC units remain precariously supported in place. Tim Olk photo

Tim Olk has a gallery of images HERE.

Jeff Rudolph has a gallery of images HERE.

Tags: 3rd alarm commercial fire, defensive fire operations, Gurnee Fire Department tower ladder, Highland Park Fire Department, Jeff Rudolph, Lake Forest Fire Department, North Chicago Fire Department, Scott Lasker, Tim Olk, vacant building fire, vacant motel fire in North Chicago

Franklin Park 3-11 alarm fire and EMS Box Alarm 8-11-11

Aug 11

Posted by bgshap in Apparatus on-scene, Fire, Fire Department News, Fire Service News, Reader submission | 6 Comments

Shortly before 2AM on Thursday a motorist made a cellular 9-1-1 call and reported a fire at 3010 Mannheim Road in Franklin Park. First arriving units were met by heavy fire in the front lobby and on the third floor of a large, three-story, vacant motel property that is setup in the shape of an ‘H’ with a banquet hall in the rear. The building has been vacant for several years, and Franklin Park firefighters knew that the structural integrity of the building was suspect and they preplanned to take a defensive stance upon arrival if the building caught fire.

Franklin Park 3-11 alarm fire on Mannheim Road 8-11-11

The banquet hall on the right is surrounded by guest rooms. Heavy fire burns in the back of the main building which faces Mannheim Road and has spread to the adjoining wing on the left. Steve Redick photo

When the first companies found heavy fire, they immediately requested a MABAS Box Alarm from MABAS Division 20. A 2nd alarm was requested roughly 20 minutes later. Six elevated master streams were eventually put to work around the building with the Melrose Park Bronto (working it’s second 3-11 alarm fire in a 12 hour span) setup on the south (‘B’), Leyden Township to the west (‘C’) with an E-ONE HP75, Rosemont to the north (‘D’) with their Pierce tower ladder, and the other three were working on Mannheim Road in front of the building (‘A’). This included another Bronto from Elmwood Park, a Seagrave rear mount from Franklin Park, and another Pierce tower from Schiller Park.

Schiller Park Tower 454 is working in front of the fire building on Mannheim road. Steve Redick photo

Engines that were due up to the 2nd alarm were two from Franklin Park, and one each from Stone Park, Elmhurst, River Grove, Norwood Park, Northlake, and Bensenville. Chicago Squad 7 from O’Hare was also due on the 2nd alarm.

Franklin Park 3-11 alarm fire on Mannheim 8-11-11

The Melrose Park Bronto Skylift was positioned on the south side of the complex using the master stream to combat the fire. Larry Shapiro photo

Franklin Park, 3-11, night, vacant, fire, elevated master stream, E-ONE, Bronto, Elmwood Park, Melrose Park, Schiller Park, Leyden, Rosemont, smoke, Chicago Squad 7

Firefighters from Elmwood Park are above the roof on the southeast corner of the structure on Mannheim Road. Larry Shapiro photo

An EMS Box Alarm was also struck which brought ambulances from Schiller Park, Leyden Township, River Grove, and Bensenville in addition to an ambulance from Northlake. This allowed for multiple ambulances to be on standby for the multiple Rapid Intervention Teams that were part of the preplanning to accommodate the size of the property and the potential for unsafe conditions.

Schiller Park Tower 454 was on Mannheim at Center Avenue, the northeast corner of the building. Franklin Park Truck 2 and the Elmwood Park Bronto are further down the street. Larry Shapiro photo

A 3rd alarm fire box was initiated roughly an hour into the fire to provide relief companies for the crews that were working. This brought Maywood Truck 502 along with engines from River Forest, Berkely, and Hillside.

Franklin Park's engine tagged a hydrant at the corner of Mannheim and Schiller Boulevard to supply water to Truck 2. Larry Shapiro photo

The fire proved to have a hold throughout the main building and required several instances where all lines were shut down to allow the fire to burn through the roof so that firefighters could have access to extinguish the flames. Several hand lines and multi-versals were put to use supplementing the elevated master streams.

Several hours into the fire all of the lines were shut down so the fire could burn freely to allow firefighters better access to it. Larry Shapiro photo

The fire grows in intensity without water being applied. This in turn gave firefighters more access to fight the fire that was burning beneath the intact roof. Larry Shapiro photo

The alarms were finally struck out near 8AM as it appeared that companies finally had gotten the upper hand and were able to reach all of the deep seated fire which proved to be quite stubborn.

Several area photographers, Steve Redick, Tim Olk, Larry Shapiro, and Gordon J. Nord Jr., were at the scene overnight and will have images to post at different times during the day. As the images become available, the posting will be updated. Larry has a gallery HERE, and Steve has a gallery HERE.

Tags: Chicago Fire Department Squad 7, defensive fire operations, E-ONE, E-ONE Bronto Sky-Lift, E-ONE HP75, elevated master stream, Elmhurst Fire Department, Elmwood Park Fire Department, Franklin park Fire Department, Gordon J. Nord Jr., large fire on Mannheim Road, Larry Shapiro, MABAS 3rd Alarm fire, MABAS Division 20, Melrose Park Fire Department, nghtime fire, Norwood Park FIre Department, O'Hare Airport Fire Department, Pierce tower ladder, River Grove Fire Department, Rosemont Department of Public Safety, Rosemont Fire Department, Schiller Park Fire Department, Seagrave Maurauder ladder, Steve Redick, structure fire, Tim Olk, vacant building fire, vacant motel fire in Franklin Park