Crews Battle Barn Fire In Upper Oxford
 
January 24, 2022
 

Crews from multiple fire companies assisted the Union Fire Company of Oxford on a major incident late Sunday night in Upper Oxford Township.

Originally dispatched at 10:09pm as a barn fire in Penn Township for West Grove Fire Company, the call ultimately wound up being at a large complex of barns located along Route 896 at Grist Mill Lane in Upper Oxford Township. Calls began pouring into the Chester County 911 Center with the large volume of fire visible from near US 1 and Baltimore Pike and across Penn Township.

The original fire dispatch was for the Penn Township fire, with WGFC responding with Engine 22-1, Engine 22-2, Engine 22-3, Tanker 22, and Squad 22. Also on that dispatch were fire companies from Oxford, Cochranville, and Avondale. Chief 21 took over the call once it was established that it was in Upper Oxford Township, with numerous other units added to the assignment.

Responding units reported signs of the fire visible from the Jennersville area, with first arriving units laying supply lines in from hydrants in the Grist Mill Lane community. Oxford's Engines and Ladder set up on the north side of the fire scene, with a very large barn fully involved, which set off other smaller structures adjacent to the barn, and with additional buildings and homes nearby threatened. Deluge guns, handlines and the ladder pipe were deployed on that side of the incident.

Engine 22-3 arrived on the south side of the incident and was directed into the resident's driveway, dropping a supply line from Route 896 200 feet into the scene. Crews deployed a 1-3/4" attack line and a 2-1/2" attack line from Engine 3, which was supplied by Tanker 21 and Tanker 22. Crews on all sides were able to knock down the fire and prevent further spread to other structures.

Crews operated on the scene for several hours, with West Grove crews picking up around 1:00am to return to quarters to wash hose and put trucks back in service. Despite the size of the incident and volume of fire, there were no reported injuries. The barn fire was the first of two fire dispatches in the late evening/overnight hours (details on the second here: https://www.wgfc.org/news/1133/WGFC-Handles-Smoke-in-the-Residence-Call ).
 
Units: Engines 1, 2 and 3; Tanker 22, Squad 22, Fire Police
 
Mutual Aid: Fire companies from Oxford, Avondale, Rising Sun and Cochranville
 
A large barn and adjacent outbuildings were fully involved when units from West Grove and Oxford arrived at this fire in Upper Oxford Township late Sunday night.
A large barn and adjacent outbuildings were fully involved when units from West Grove and Oxford arrived at this fire in Upper Oxford Township late Sunday night.
 
This is the view from Engine 22-2's officer position as the truck responds past Corby Road and approaches the fire scene from the south side.
This is the view from Engine 22-2's officer position as the truck responds past Corby Road and approaches the fire scene from the south side.
 
Engine 22-3 operated several handlines on the 896 side of the incident.
Engine 22-3 operated several handlines on the 896 side of the incident.
 
WGFC crews operate handlines on east side of the barn.
WGFC crews operate handlines on east side of the barn.
 
This view shows the main barn, and several other structures adjacent that also caught fire.
This view shows the main barn, and several other structures adjacent that also caught fire.
 
Oxford's Ladder 21 operated an elevated master stream to knock down the main body of fire in the large barn.
Oxford's Ladder 21 operated an elevated master stream to knock down the main body of fire in the large barn.