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All posts for the month March, 2020

A few shots of a house fire in Wellesley Township, Ontario from February 28, 2020 at 1331 Queens Bush Road. All three township stations on scene, Wellesley, St Clements, and Linwood. Wellesley firefighters had to drive by the fire to get to the fire hall at 1379 Queens Bush Road, six doors up the street. Heavy fire through the roof of house on arrival. Defensive fire fight from the beginning. Shots taken 45 minutes in, after a slow snowy drive to Wellesley. Bitterly cold night, Box 690 provided rehab.

Mike Wilson, Box 690

house fire in bitter cold and snow
Mike Wilson photo
house fire in bitter cold and snow
Mike Wilson photo
house fire in bitter cold and snow
Mike Wilson photo
house fire in bitter cold and snow
Mike Wilson photo

Three Alarms in Boston’s Dorchester Neighborhood

On 3/5/2020, Boston Fire Alarm dispatched companies to a reported fire on Stonehurst Street in the Dorchester neighborhood. First-due companies had heavy fire on the second and third floors, and a second alarm was called about five minutes later. A third alarm was eventually struck. At one point a mayday was declared for a missing member but he was quickly found and self-extricated from the building.

3-Alarm fire in Boston on Stonehurst Street
Sean Fesko/911 ERV
3-Alarm fire in Boston on Stonehurst Street
Sean Fesko/911 ERV
3-Alarm fire in Boston on Stonehurst Street
Sean Fesko/911 ERV
Boston FD Tower Ladder 10
Sean Fesko/911 ERV
3-Alarm fire in Boston on Stonehurst Street
Sean Fesko/911 ERV

Basement Fire Closes Main Road in Boston

On 3/8/2020, Boston Fire Alarm struck a box for a reported fire on Bloomington Street in Dorchester. Engine 20 arrived with smoke showing and found a fire in the basement. An extra truck company was requested to the scene and firefighters had the fire out in about 20 minutes. Traffic on Morrissey Boulevard was diverted as companies ran a supply line across the street.

Photos by Sean Fesko/911 ERV

house fire in Boston
Sean Fesko/911 ERV
Boston FD fire trucks at fire scene
Sean Fesko/911 ERV
Boston FD ladder truck at fire
Sean Fesko/911 ERV
Boston FD Tower 10
Sean Fesko/911 ERV

01-17-2020: Chicago FD Truck Co. 48 reported a fire at 1539 S Hamlin Friday evening (1/17/20) during a bad snow storm. Building was a vacant, 3-sty ordinary, 30’x75′. Engine 109 was the first engine since Engine 38 was tied up on an EMS run. Battalion 14 arrived and boxed it right away. Companies went defensive due to forcible entry problems and fire being on all three floors already. Engines 38 & 99 were the box engines and both were feeding the master streams (TL5 & SS1). 2-2-4 pulled a 2-11 Alarm shortly after for manpower purposes. I don’t believe the 2-11 engines were used. Wind gusts up to 35mph and heavy snow for the duration of fire which made it very difficult to fight this job. 

Chicago Firefighters battle fire in snow storm
Chi-Town Fire Photos

Sunday March 1 was a very busy morning for Wilmot Ontario firefighters. Personnel from all three stations were taking an ice water rescue course across from the Baden fire hall. Kitchener fire dispatch toned out New Hamburg station for a MVC at Highway 7&8 and Nafziger Road around 10:50. New Hamburg responded with a heavy rescue, pumper, tanker, and 75’ quint.

At 11:10 Baden and New Dundee were dispatched to a structure fire at 126 Front Street in New Dundee. The address is half a block up the street from the fire hall. New Dundee came on the air and confirmed a firefighter reported the house had fire showing on the main floor of a large, two-story, century old home. A New Dundee pumper arrived within minutes and confirmed a working fire. Dispatch was asked to check with New Hamburg command to see if they could send their aerial and tanker as water supply for fires is provided by tankers filling from a dam two blocks from the scene. The accident was minor in nature and both trucks were released to assist New Dundee.

Dispatch advised they had a second structure fire in a large driving shed on Bethel Road approximately five miles from New Dundee. The New Hamburg tanker and rescue responded to the second fire, and mutual aid was requested from Ayr with a pumper, two tankers, and their chief. New Hamburg arrived and reported a tractor had been on fire in the driving shed, but quick action by the owner pushing the tractor out of the building with averted a potential structure fire. Ayr was returned before arriving and New Hamburg’s tanker was rerouted back to New Dundee.

The New Dundee fire appeared to have started in the kitchen while the tenants were away. The fire was knocked down quickly and a number of pets were brought out and resuscitated. Crews had hours of overhaul on their hands. The fire worked its way up the wall necessitating pulling all the walls down on the E4 side of the building up to the attic. The fire was not declared out until approximately 13:30. New Dundee P22 set up at the dam to fill tankers. Box 690 provided rehab. Photos taken 25 minutes into the incident, just after fire under control was broadcast. 

Gary Dinkel, Box 690

Canadian Firefighter at fire scene
Gary Dinkel photo
Wilmot Township fire engine
Gary Dinkel photo

Kitchener fire dispatch received a 9-1-1 call for smoke in the area of 744 King Street East on October 27, 2019 just before midnight. A first alarm assignment consisting of Pump 12, Aerial 12, Tower 13, Rescue 11, and Car 123 (PC) was dispatched to the area. Car 123 arrived in the area and asked for any updates on the call, then confirmed a working fire on the corner of King and Stirling. Pump 11 was added as the RIT pumper upon arrival. The fire appeared to start in the basement of the two-story house which housed an insurance company. The fire had already burned through the first floor as crews were pulling multiple 1.75” and 2.5” lines from Tower 13. Firefighters were able to do a quick primary on the second floor, discovered only offices and quickly exited the structure. A12 and T13 both set up their aerials. The fire burned up through the middle of the building and through the roof. P11 picked up a third hydrant to feed T13’s 75-foot aerial. All firefighting was defensive. The fire was brought under control at 02:00. The Ontario Fire Marshall and Kitchener Fire Prevention were searching for the cause of the $600,000 fire. Box 690 provided rehab at the fire. Photos and video start 15 minutes into the fire. 

Gary Dinkel, Box 690

house fire at night
Gary Dinkel photo
house fire at night
Gary Dinkel photo
house fire at night
Gary Dinkel photo

Additional images and a video from the House fire in Kitchener, ON – February 5, 2020

basement fire at 76 Blackthorne Cres
Gary Dinkel photo
basement fire at 76 Blackthorne Cres
Gary Dinkel photo
basement fire at 76 Blackthorne Cres
Gary Dinkel photo
basement fire at 76 Blackthorne Cres
Gary Dinkel photo
basement fire at 76 Blackthorne Cres
Gary Dinkel photo
basement fire at 76 Blackthorne Cres
Gary Dinkel photo
basement fire at 76 Blackthorne Cres
Gary Dinkel photo