With the strong thunderstorms this evening within our first due response area, the volunteers of West Grove were put to work handling 7 runs within a 3 hour span. This news article is a breakdown of the calls handled by WGFC.
Fire Box - 1403
The first string of a thunderstorm cell hit the Mason-Dixon Line and at 1945 hours the box alarm for an Engine & Tanker assist Singerly Fire Company (Elkton, MD) on a house fire in the 6100 Block of Telegraph Road in the northeast section of Fair Hill, Maryland. Tanker 22 marked up at 1948 hours with a crew of two followed by Engine 12 staffed with four volunteers. As units were enroute Safety 3-1 arrived with a 1 story single family dwelling ordinary construction with smoke showing. After further investigation the smoke was from an appliance in the kitchen area and Deputy Fire Chief 3 scaled the assignment back to the units on scene. West Grove units went ready at 2002 hours.
Fire Box - 1201
Another severe thunderstorm cell hit the village of New London hard. At 2039 hours Brush 12 was alerted for a transformer fire in the area of 896 & Saginaw Road in the village district of New London Township. Brush 12 arrived to multiple trees down across the roadway and a transformer arcing. The necessary PECO information was relayed to Chester County Fireboard as well as the other wires down across the roadway at 896 & Oxford Road. Brush 12 went ready 2045 hours.
Fire Box - 2202
Station 22 was alerted for a transformer fire in the area of 841 & East Avondale Road in London Grove Township at 2051 hours. Crews were at the station from the 1201 box and Engine 22 marked up with 5 volunteers at 2052 hours. During the response to this incident Deputy Chief 22 marked on the air and was advised by Chester County Fireboard of a garage fire in the 1206 box. Deputy Chief 22 had Engine 22 change the response to a hot one on the 1206 box alarm, as have a cover handle the transformer fire.
Fire Box - 1206
With Engine 22 already on the street as well as Brush 12, the company was re-alerted for a box alarm in the 600 block of Gypsy Hill Road in Franklin Township for the garage fire. The initial box alarm brought Stations 12, 22, 32, 23 and Engine 21-2. Engine 23-3 was already on the street for a transformer fire in their local but diverted and made the response, followed by Tanker 22, Engine 12, Ladder 22, Engine 23-2 & Engine 21-2. Fire Chief 22 marked on the air and was a few miles out and noticed a decent size header and requested a first alarm tanker taskforce. This alarm brought Tanker 21, Engine 27-5, Tanker 36, Tanker 24 and Cecil County Tanker 8.
Fire Chief 22 arrived to a large 2 story detached garage, ordinary construction with fire showing through the roof and established "Gypsy Hill Road Command". Deputy Chief 22 arrived to take the operations section of command. Engine 22 arrived as the first due engine company and laid in with a 5 inch supply and the crew deployed 250' 1-3/4" attack line and started to make a push on the fire. Tanker 22 arrived second and picked up the supply line and established the water supply section of command. Engine 12 was next in and pulled into the driveway behind Engine 22, and the crew went to work by running a second line to darken down the fire.
Ladder 22 arrived as first due truck company and laddered the building while Engine 23-3 crew ran a third line for exposure protection. Engine 23-2 & Engine 21-2 entered into the man power pool and stood by. Crews made a good push to bring the fire under control 2123 hours. Extensive overhaul was needed to open up the walls to find hot spots and wet down. Engine company crews used Class A foam to blanket the entire building once overhaul was completed.
Once the fire was brought under control Command started to release certain companies from the fire scene. All West Grove units went ready at 2349 hours. Special thanks to Cecil County Engine 18 and Engine 36 for covering our first due while we operated on this incident.
Fire Box - 2201
While units all were responding to the garage fire, Chester County Fireboard alerted Deputy Fire Chief 22 of an automatic fire alarm in the 100 block of Rosehill Avenue in West Grove Borough. Due to the units on the box alarm, Deputy Chief 22 requested to have that box made up. This brought Engine 21-1 and Assistant Fire Chief 21 on the incident. Assistant 21 arrived to a 1 story commercial, masonry construction nothing evident. After further investigation the building was all clear and the alarm was reset. Units went ready at 2110 hours.
Fire Box - 1201
Just after units cleared the above incident, Chester County Fireboard alerted Assistant Fire Chief 21 of an electrical fire inside an occupied dwelling. Engine 21-1, Tanker 21 & Ladder 21 all made the response to the 100 block of Owenwood Drive in the Ashleigh Greene section of New London Township. The homeowner stated that the house was hit by lighting and blew wires out of outlets with a smoke condition inside.
Assistant Fire Chief 21 arrived on scene with a 2 story single family dwelling and established "Owenwood Command". The crew from Engine 21-1 went to investigate the entire house and discovered that an apparent electric surge happened to the main fuse panel and requested the fire marshal to respond out. With this report command scaled the assignment back to just Engine 21-1. Units cleared this incident at 2148 hours.
Fire Box - 2202
While WGFC and other mutual aide units were at the garage fire, Engine 36 was alerted for a tree's and wire's call in the area of 841 & East Avondale Road. Engine 36 made the response from Station 22 as the cover company. Engine 36 found a live wire down sparking and gathered the necessary information needed for PECO. Engine 36 returned to Station 22 at 2347 hours.
Avondale Fire Company Station 23, Union Fire Company No. 1 Station 21, Po-Mar-Lin Fire Company Station 36, Cochranville Fire Company Station 27, Kennett Fire Company Station 24, Rising Sun Fire Company Station 8
Garage Fire in Box 1206.
Tanker 22 as the Nurse Tanker on the garage fire. Tanker 23 is being an Aide Tanker and filling Tanker 22.
Tanker 36 was also utilized as an Aide Tanker.
Engine 22 on scene with 3 attack lines in service.
Engine 22 & Deputy Fire Chief 22 Buggy
Crews picking up.
A screenshot of 6ABC StormTracker LIVE Radar, shows the cell that caused 7 runs for the volunteers of the West Grove Fire Company.
