House Fully Involved in Franklin Twp, Fire Box 1205

Fire Box 1205- At 1553 hrs on 12/27/11 the West Grove Fire Company Stations 12, 22, 32 and 3 Engines and a Tanker from the Union Fire Company of Oxford were alerted for a report of a House fire at 302 Independence Circle in Franklin Twp. Initial reports from the Chester County Fireboard indicated heavy black smoke pouring out of the side of the house. Assistant 22 and Deputy 22 went enroute, after receiving multiple calls about the house Chester advised that they believed this would be a working house fire. Upon that report Deputy 22 asked for the working fire dispatch and the first alarm tanker task force. The working fire dispatch added Cochranville Station 27 for RIT, Medic 94, Utilities and Relocates. The Tanker Task Force added an additional Engine from Avondale Station 23 and 5 Tankers (Tankers 23, 24, 27-5, Cecil Tanker 8 and Cecil Tanker 13). Assistant 22 arrived and confirmed the working fire and advised the county that it would be a defensive operation. Assistant 22 established Independence command.

Engine 12 arrived and dropped 5" line from the beginning of the development at Walnut Glen Rd and setup in front of the house. They deployed a 2.5" line to the C side of the house. Engine 21-1 setup in an adjacent driveway and deployed a 2.5" line and (2) 1.75" lines to work on extinguishment on the B side as well as to protect the nearby exposures. The exposures were a major concern due to high winds blowing embers across the road endangering adjacent houses.

Engine 21-2 established the water supply at Walnut Glen Rd.

Crews worked for 2-3 hours to extinguish the blaze.

County and State Fire Marshals are investigating the cause.

Thank You to Hoseman M. Predmore and Career EMT T. Gathercole for the pictures. Also to Cindy Chambers for providing dinner and FF/EMT Torello and EMT Hughes for coffee for the crews operating on scene!