WGFC Assists Po-Mar-Lin on Garage Fire
First arriving units found heavy fire from the front of the garage.
First arriving units found heavy fire from the front of the garage.
 
Wilson Road in East Marlborough Township was the location for this garage fire Wednesday, with the WGFC responding with two engines, the ladder and a tanker.
Wilson Road in East Marlborough Township was the location for this garage fire Wednesday, with the WGFC responding with two engines, the ladder and a tanker.
 
Engine 36 supplied the scene with numerous handlines as the first arriving engine.
Engine 36 supplied the scene with numerous handlines as the first arriving engine.
 
Tankers out on the road supplied the two hour fire operation.
Tankers out on the road supplied the two hour fire operation.
 
Various handlines were utilized in this view which also shows roof collapse to part of the 30 X 40 foot garage.
Various handlines were utilized in this view which also shows roof collapse to part of the 30 X 40 foot garage.
 
Engines 22-1 and 22-2 at the draft site.
Engines 22-1 and 22-2 at the draft site.
 
WGFC crews assist Rescue 36 at the tanker fill location about 1/4 mile from the incident.
WGFC crews assist Rescue 36 at the tanker fill location about 1/4 mile from the incident.
 
 
February 2, 2023
 

Fire companies from across Chester County were involved in fighting a fire in a large garage filled with priceless antique cars and tractors on Wednesday afternoon.

The dispatch for a garage on fire reached fire department pagers at 2:02pm for the Po-Mar-Lin (Unionville) Fire Company, with assisting units from the West Grove, Avondale, Cochranville, Modena and Longwood fire companies, and paramedics from Medic 94. 911 callers reported flames from the garage with nearby adjacent structures. Inbound units noted a large plume of smoke from several miles out and additional water tankers were requested (1st alarm tanker task force) as the call location was in a very rural area of West Marlboro Township on Wilson Road.

First arriving units found a large volume of fire from the front side of the garage. First in was Engine 36 which laid a large diameter supply line up the driveway, and immediately deployed a 2-1/2" attack line. Typically, departments lead off with an 1-3/4" line for most fires which offer flexibility and ease of deployment, however the 2-1/2" is helpful for quickly knocking down a high volume of fire like in this case. Ladder 25 arrived next and came up the driveway along with an engine from Modena as crews battled the fire.

Arriving tankers, including Tanker 22 from the WGFC, were able to quickly supply the fire fight as additional handlines were deployed. Firefighters from Po-Mar-Lin, Longwood and West Grove, among others, worked to open up the building walls, find pockets of fire, and put out fires over the two hour operation. Firefighters faced partial roof collapse and a 30 X 40 foot building full of vintage cars and tractors and heavy fire conditions.

Units from the WGFC including Engines 22-2 and Engine 22-1 were requested to a nearby pond about 1/4 mile from the fire scene to assist Rescue 36 with establishing a water supply line at a nearby pond.

The fire operation had roads in the area of Wilson and Ryan Roads closed during the operation. Fire companies from adjacent areas like West Chester and Concordville were used to standby in the Kennett Area until the call was cleared.

(Our thanks to Po-Mar-Lin, Modena, and Cochranville Fire Companies for photographs)
 
Units: Engines 22-1 & 22-2, Tanker 22, Ladder 22
 
Mutual Aid: Engine 36, Rescue 36, Tanker 24, Ladder 25, Engine 37-1, Tanker 27, Engine 27-2, Engine 23-2, Tanker 23, Medic 941, Fire Police, Chester County Fire Marshals