Larry Shapiro has uploaded images and a video from the 5-alarm fire yesterday in Gurnee. The image gallery can be found HERE.
Archive for August 24th, 2011
Here are several images from Tim Olk at the fire in Gurnee.
The Round Lake tower prepares to go to work with an elevated master stream at the north east corner of the hotel complex. The supply line has not yet been charged as firefighters take the ladder up. Tim Olk photo
Supply lines and attack lines criss-cross on the pavement out front as firefighters hit the fire from multiple positions. Tim Olk photo
Gurnee Engine 1322 was the first unit on the scene and took a position in front of the hotel. They made an interior attack until the intense heat forced them to retreat. The engine is supplying the Gurnee tower ladder as well as hand lines. Tim Olk photo
Multiple hand lines operate in the driveway on the east side of the fire building in addition to the tower ladder from Round Lake. Tim Olk photo
During the initial attack, Gurnee firefighters used this ground ladder to get on the roof. The heat became too intense to maintain that position so they had to evacuate. The ladder that they had used, which was retrieved later, was severely damaged. Tim Olk photo
Thick smoke escapes from the ballroom section of the Vista Hotel which was undergoing renovation to reopen as a Holiday Inn on Grand Avenue in Gurnee. Larry Shapiro photo
The Gurnee Fire Department received calls from motorists driving on Grand Avenue reporting smoke coming from the Vista Hotel at 6161 W. Grand Avenue at roughly 6:45PM on Tuesday. The hotel which previously was a Holiday Inn was closed and currently undergoing renovation. When the first companies arrived, they found heavy smoke and fire visible in the ballroom section of the complex, which is separated from the three-floor building with guest rooms by a foyer and open lobby area. Engine 1322 advanced a line through the main entrance in an effort to prevent the fire from moving into the adjacent lobby. The encountered intense heat and heavy fire which was fueled in part by the ballroom tables and chairs that were being stored in one area. They backed out and companies went defensive.
Gurnee Truck 1331 operates in front of the building in the 'A' Sector as smoke pours out of the ballroom. Larry Shapiro photo
The alarm was upgraded to a MABAS Box Alarm within 15 minutes followed by a 2nd alarm shortly thereafter. Approximately 45 minutes into the fire, the decision was made to upgrade to a 5th alarm.
As the sun sets the intensity of the fire continues to grow and the volume of smoke and fire increases. Larry Shapiro photo
Two tower ladders, one from Gurnee and the other from Round Lake worked in the ‘A’ sector in front of the building and Gurnee Engine 1321 was on the side supporting hand lines and a deck gun.
Gurnee Engine 1321 operates on the east side of the structure as the engineer uses the deck gun. Larry Shapiro photo
The MABAS Division 5 Air Unit was special called to the scene to refill SCBA bottles. Larry Shapiro photo
Long lead-outs across Grand Avenue forced the road to be closed as Mundelein and Beach Park engines found hydrants on the opposite side of the street. The fire was contained to the ballroom structure which was destroyed plus minor extension into the lobby area. In all, there were 23 departments represented at the scene representing the majority of Lake County Division 4 departments plus others from Divisions 3 and 5. The list includes Round Lake, Antioch, Fox Lake, Mundelein, Beach Park, Pleasant Prairie (WI), Libertyville, Newport, Zion, Waukegan, Deerfield, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods, Lake Zurich, Spring Grove, Long Grove, Countryside, Great Lakes, Lake Forest, Lake Villa, Buffalo Grove, Grayslake, Highland Park, Wauconda, plus the MABAS Division 5 Air Unit, and the MESS Canteen.
Firefighters continue to douse the rubble after the bulk of the fire has been knocked down. Larry Shapiro photo
Antioch Engine 2121was deployed in the front of the building with a light tower to illuminate the fire scene. Gurnee Engine 1322 on the right was the first engine on the scene. Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro and Tim Olk went to the fire and submitted several images. Larry has a large gallery which will be accessible HERE and Tim has a large gallery that is building HERE. larry will also have a video to post after getting some sleep.
Fox Lake Squad 2251 was also setup in the parking lot off of Grand Avenue to illuminate the scene and fill air bottles. Larry Shapiro photo
A large excavator was brought to the scene to knockdown the walls of the fire building and sift through the rubble allowing firefighters to extinguish the fire that was buried underneath the debris. Larry Shapiro photo
There is a brief article HERE about the fire as well as HERE and HERE.
