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All posts for the month April, 2014

The following is a synopsis of Chicago’s 3-11 at 36th and Homan on Monday, April 28th.  The building was a Red-X which, for those who are not from Chicago, means that the building has been deemed structurally unsound and potentially too dangerous for interior operations.  I live only 2 miles from this incident and left the moment it was dispatched.  Traffic was almost at gridlock as people stopped in the middle of the Stevenson Expressway to gawk.

The fire building ran adjacent to the expressway and was only about 100 yards off the roadway.  This building appeared to be divided into three sections, each separated by a fire wall.  The main body of fire was in the center section so even though the building was a good 200+ feet long, the section that was involved wasn’t that large.  Some fire did appear to get into the front section but never advanced very far.  When I passed on the Stevenson, there was heavy fire blowing out all of the second story windows in that middle section.  By the time I parked and found my way back to the building, the truss roof had already burned through and most of the fire and smoke had diminished.

There were two access points to this incident.  One was off of 36th and Kedzie and the image of Engine 23 heading back towards the fire building gives you an idea of the lead out here.  It was about 450 yards from where Engine 99 hooked up to the hydrant at that corner.  The other access point was at the dead end off Homan at 37th Place.  Engine 34 had hose stretched across the railroad tracks and both Engines 38 and 39 were pumping from hydrants in the neighborhood south of the fire building.

I spent most of my time on the north side along the expressway where companies operated from an interior yard.  Tower Ladder 54 had their aerial up fairly early as they were positioned in front of the building.  Squad 1’s Snorkel was brought into the west part of the yard and had to wait for hose to be stretched before they could go to work.  Eventually 6-7-6 was brought into the yard as well and after several lengths of hose were stretched, it went to work for the first time on a Chicago structure fire.

Companies went in-line to the east of the incident with Engines 88, 99, 107, 109, 23, 123, and 65 all pumping.  There was also a Level I Hazmat with this incident.  Many companies worked throughout the night and did not leave the scene until daylight broke on Tuesday.

Eric Haak

firemen hook up hard suction hose

Eric Haak photo

fire engine at fire scene

Eric Haak photo

firemen use multi-versal at fire seen

Eric Haak photo

Chicago FD Snorkel at fire scene

Eric Haak photo

firemen carrying large diameter hose LDH

Eric Haak photo

Chicago FD Snorkel at fire scene

Eric Haak photo

Chicago FD turret wagon

Eric Haak photo

Chicago FD light wagon

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Spartan fire engine

Eric Haak photo

Here are some photos from the 3-11 Alarm fire in Chicago Monday evening at 36th Street & Homan Avenue. Fire was in a vacant warehouse that had been designated as dangerous with a red ‘X’. 

fire scene photo

Josh Boyajian photo

fire scene photo

Josh Boyajian photo

fire scene photo

Josh Boyajian photo

fire scene photo with Snorkel

Josh Boyajian photo

The full gallery is on our website

Finally getting through some of the fires we took in during our trip to Detroit last October. Here are shots from a 2nd Alarm at 2728 – 2720 Fullerton on Oct 24th and a Box Alarm at 19433 John R on October 25th. . And the link to my video that was posted some time back.

Still have more editing to do!

John Tulipano

night fire scene in Detroit

John Tulipano photo

night fire scene in Detroit

John Tulipano photo

night fire scene in Detroit

John Tulipano photo

night fire scene in Detroit

John Tulipano photo

night fire scene in Detroit

John Tulipano photo

night fire scene in Detroit

John Tulipano photo

night fire scene in Detroit

John Tulipano photo

Here are gallery links

Here’s the video from the scene of the house explosion in Long Grove, IL.

Some images from 4773 Trenton Court in the Royal Melbourne subdivision in Long Grove (IL). Parts of this development are in the Long Grove Fire Protection District and the rest in the Countryside Fire Protection District.

Before 11PM on Friday, firefighters responded to a reported fire. Prior to their arrival, the homeowner reportedly stepped out of the home just minutes before a catastrophic explosion destroyed the structure sending splintered debris in all directions. Several neighboring homes suffered broken windows, buckled garage doors, or structural damage. There are reports that several homes are uninhabitable.

There were only minor injuries at the scene. A 2nd Alarm was struck for water tenders and suppression companies as the development is largely without hydrants. The gas company was reportedly in the area investigating an odor.

explosion destroys home in Long Grove

Larry Shapiro photo

explosion destroys home in Long Grove

Larry Shapiro photo

explosion destroys home in Long Grove

Larry Shapiro photo

Pierce fire truck at explosion site

Larry Shapiro photo

explosion destroys home in Long Grove

Larry Shapiro photo

home damaged by explosion

Larry Shapiro photo

explosion destroys home in Long Grove

Larry Shapiro photo

firefighter silhouetted by fire

Larry Shapiro photo

house heavily damaged by explosion

Larry Shapiro photo

tanker shuttle operation at fire scene

Larry Shapiro photo

A complete gallery of images is at shapirophotography.net

More information and photos are at chicagoareafire.com

Classic Chicago fire scene photos from 1955

historic fire scene photo from Chicago

5-11 Alarm fire in Chicago at the Wabash Railroad Freight house 27 W Roosevelt Road December 26, 1955. photographer unknown

historic fire scene photo from Chicago

5-11 Alarm fire in Chicago at 605 N. Aberdeen April 1, 1955. photographer unknown

historic fire scene photo from Chicago

5-11 Alarm fire & 5 Specials at the Carr Consolidated Biscuit Company in Chicago at 1453 W. 37th Street September 1, 1955. photographer unknown

historic fire scene photo from Chicago

Fire at Standard Oil in Whiting, IN August 28, 1955. photographer unknown

historic fire scene photo from Chicago

Fire at Standard Oil in Whiting, IN August 28, 1955. photographer unknown

historic fire scene photo from Chicago

4-11 Alarm fire at Rothchild Clothing, 300 S. State Street in Chicago July 15, 1955. photographer unknown