Just after 5:30pm on Tuesday, 911 calls began pouring in for a fire in a shopping center in New Garden Township. Initial calls said black smoke was pouring from the roof, and businesses were being evacuated, and that it "appeared the whole building with multiple businesses was on fire."

Units of the Avondale, Kennett Square, Unionville (Po-Mar-Lin), Longwood and Hockessin fire companies were originally dispatched to West Cypress Street to the Kennett Copy store in the strip shopping center located in between the east and west bound sections of Old Baltimore Pike at Scarlett Road.

Chief 23 went on the scene, establishing Command and indicating a working fire with heavy smoke. As the first units were arriving, the Chief was observing smoke appearing at both ends of the long building containing approximately six businesses, and, concerned that fire was traveling along the attic spaces, began requesting additional ladder trucks.

Engine 23-1 arrived and laid a large supply line from the corner of Scarlett Road and Old Baltimore Pike to the scene positioning in the front of the building, with crews attacking the initial fire in Kennett Copy with hand lines. Engine 23-2 arrived stretching another supply line from Old Baltimore Pike to the rear of the structure, where Tower 24 positioned. Those crews began attacking the fire from the rear entrance, supported by Engine 36. Ladder 25 arrived and positioned in front of the fire building, raising its aerial and getting crews to the roof to open up vent holes and assist in the firefight. West Grove Ladder 22 arrived as was positioned at the front corner of the building on the south or D side supported by a crew from Engine 22-1.

With additional crews arriving from multiple companies, hand lines and crews were taken into each of the businesses to search for fire spread, with crews pulling ceilings down in the main fire area to look for fire. With a continuing growth of smoke along the entire roof line, Command requested a total of four ladder trucks for use on the roof, and then a few minutes later struck the third alarm, requesting two additional ladder trucks and four additional engines to the assignment.

West Grove responded with Engines 22-1, 22-2, and 22-3, along with Brush 22 and an ambulance. Ultimately, six ladder trucks were on scene -- with aerials raised on ladder trucks from Longwood, West Grove, Kennett, Hockessin and Oxford. Concordville and Mill Creek ladder trucks were on scene but not utilized.

More than 100 fire and EMS personnel were on scene during the incident, supported by a cadre of fire police, and law enforcement working crowd control. The fire was under control in less than an hour with multiple businesses receiving some damage. There were no serious injuries.

(Our thanks to Ed Scoop Dougherty, Photo 22 and others for some pictures.)