Firefighters Battle 3-Alarm Blaze at Historic Elkton Building
Heavy fire pushes out of all floors to the rear of the structure, which eventually collapsed.
Heavy fire pushes out of all floors to the rear of the structure, which eventually collapsed.
 
Aetna of Newark's Ladder 9 operates on the front of the building on Elkton's Main Street.
Aetna of Newark's Ladder 9 operates on the front of the building on Elkton's Main Street.
 
Smoke pushes out of the third floor and attic spaces.
Smoke pushes out of the third floor and attic spaces.
 
Rising Sun Truck 8 raises it's aerial ladder.
Rising Sun Truck 8 raises it's aerial ladder.
 
Heavy fire greeted firefighters on W. Main Street, Elkton for this 3-alarm blaze. WGFC's Ladder 22 and Engine 22-2 were on scene.
Heavy fire greeted firefighters on W. Main Street, Elkton for this 3-alarm blaze. WGFC's Ladder 22 and Engine 22-2 were on scene.
 
Singerly's tower ladder operates on Side B of the 3-story structure.
Singerly's tower ladder operates on Side B of the 3-story structure.
 
WGFC crews arrive to assist with Ladder 9 set up at the building's front side.
WGFC crews arrive to assist with Ladder 9 set up at the building's front side.
 
 
May 21, 2023
 

West Grove firefighters were called to join efforts to contain a blaze at a historic building on Elkton's Main Street Sunday evening.

The large blaze brought firefighters from across Chester, Cecil and New Castle Counties to a 3-alarm fire at Elkton's historic Howard Hotel Building. The dispatch for the WGFC was for a ladder and engine at just before 6pm, with Engine 22-2 and Ladder 22 responding.

The Singerly Fire Company of Elkton arrived to find fire on all floors of the three story building, and heavy fire in the rear on the initial alarm. WGFC crews operated on the third floor, assisting to put out the fire and open up walls and ceiling to assure the fire had been fully contained. A collapse did occur in the rear of the structure that had firefighters ordered out of the building at one point.

Fire crews were still on the scene nearly four hours after the initial dispatch.

According to the Cecil Whig, the Howard Hotel building was built in 1853, and has been used as a hotel, horse stables, apartments, various retails operations, and, recently, as a restaurant. For more, see: https://www.cecildaily.com/news/local_news/firefighters-battling-large-blaze-at-elktons-historic-howard-hotel-building/article_f43c1225-b1b2-5197-81d6-07fa6d8ab9bb.html

(Some photos courtesy of the Cecil Whig, Erik Halberg photographer)
 
Units: Ladder 22, Engine 22-2
 
Mutual Aid: Various fire companies from Cecil County, Maryland; New Castle County, Delaware; and the WGFC & Union Fire Company of Oxford from Chester County, PA.