Dept 5 Crary Hose, Dept 20 Harrison Township and Dept 3 Elkland RIT were dispatched 11/20/21 at 15:56 to 253 Willow Brooke Ave, Hector Township to the scene of a structure fire, reported house fire. Chief 5-10 Shawn Ianson was first to arrive and found heavy smoke showing from the eaves and established command. Engine 5-3, Engine 5-2, Harrison Engine 20-3 and Tanker 20-25 responded to the scene. 5-10 reported that multiple rooms were involved with attic extension, so a second alarm was struck and additional tanker support was requested by Chief 5 Bill Gotlz en-route. Dept 6 Knoxville, Dept 16 Clymer Township, Dept 10 Goodyear Hose (Galeton), and Dept 17 Chatham responded. Chief 5 assumed incident command while 5-10 took over operations command as Dept 5 and 20 firefighters pulled two hand lines and commenced an aggressive interior attack with Captain 5-80 Andrew Adams leading interior operations. Heavy smoke and zero visibility conditions were observed as the hand line crew quickly darkened the blaze.
Clymer Twp Engine 16-2 established water supply at Cowanesque Valley High School, with Tanker 20-25 deploying a drop tank on-scene to support a tanker relay. Tankers from Depts 17 and 6 staged nearby in support, although a relay did not prove to be needed. Dept 47 Tri-Town (Ulysses) was dispatched with an ambulance and to a cover assignment. Ambulance 47-6 responded to scene and Engine 47-3 stood by at Westfield Firehall.
Dept 10 Galeton arrived on-scene in Engine 10-3 and supported the interior attack and following up with overhaul and mop-up. Elkland’s Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) stood by on sides A and C of the structure. UGI and Tri County REC were notified and responded to the scene to monitor gas and electric utilities.
The fire was declared under control by 16:40 and out at 17:05. The Fire Marshall was contacted to do a routine investigation. American Red Cross was called to assist the family. Two adults and three children were impacted by the incident, but thankfully no injures occurred.
All Dept 5 units returned available at 17:58. Thank you to all who responded.
