Kitchener firemen battle house fire in frigid temperatures

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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

Couple of shots from a fire in Kitchener 2/5/20. Fire started in the basement around the wood stove. Heavy smoke on arrival. We were already responding to call as PC reported heavy smoke and asked for an extra pumper. Tough fire to fight, had a walk in door to the basement on E3, but no windows. Crews went in with zero visibility and fire above their heads. Backed out right away and pulled additional lines. Fire eventually took hold of the main floor. The house is a total loss.

Gary Dinkel, Box 690 Rehab

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

February 14, at19:22 Kitchener fire dispatch received a cell phone call reporting a house on fire at the corner of Lorraine and Heritage Dr. Pump 3 arrived on scene and reported the garage was fully involved and likely had extension into the house. Three 1.5” lines were pulled to extinguish the fire. The fire extended into the basement and into the living room above. Twenty fire fighters knocked the fire down in 30 minutes. Damage was pegged at $300,000.

Gary Dinkel, Box 690

Canadian firefighters fight house fire at night

Firefighters are advancing first line in front door to check for extension. photo by Gary Dinkel, Box 690

Canadian firefighters fight house fire at night

Third line being stretched. photo by Gary Dinkel, Box 690

Canadian firefighters fight house fire at night

Interior crews reported holes in floors, third line used from ladder to knock fire down in living room. photo by Gary Dinkel, Box 690

Canadian firefighters fight house fire at night

photo by Gary Dinkel, Box 690

Canadian firefighters fight house fire at night

photo by Gary Dinkel, Box 690

Canadian firefighters fight house fire at night

photo by Gary Dinkel, Box 690

Kitchener dispatch received a 911 January 21 22:00 from 172 Veronica Ave reporting flames encroaching her house from next door. While trucks were en-route to the fire PC asked dispatch if they had any more calls. Dispatch replied they had only had one call. P4 reported smoke visible from half a mile from the call. An additional pumper was added as the RIT team. P4 arrived on scene reported a working fire, asked A4 to lay into them, and for P3 to also catch a second hydrant. P4 captain could not access the rear due to a six foot wooden fence.

R1 was assigned to get to the rear to complete the 360. Crews advanced a 1.5” line in the front door but backed out less than a minute later due to high heat. R1 found a resident of the house in a hot tub in the rear of the structure. The individual was treated for smoke inhalation and taken to hospital for further mental health evaluation. Firefighting was defensive until the bulk of fire could be knocked down. This was a very cold night, wind chill dropped the temperature to -22 F. Fire was knocked down in one hour, damage was pegged at $400,000. Siding was melted off 172 Veronica, but there was no extension into the house. Six of the seven Kitchener stations responded to the call rotating crews back to their stations to warm up.

The Box 690 Rehab Unit gave out lots of Hot Shot hand warmers on the night. It was so cold I took a few of the later photos through the window of the Rescue. I was handing out drinks from the rear of R1, had to keep them in the truck or they would be too cold for the guys. The back of our truck was only 56 F, couldn’t get anymore heat out of the truck. It actually felt warm in there and glasses would fog up on entry.

Gary Dinkel

 

Kitchener firemen battle house fire

Crews had just backed out of structure to go defensive.. Gary Dinkel photo

 

Kitchener firemen battle house fire

15 minutes into fire, crews have reentered house. Gary Dinkel photo

 

Kitchener firemen battle house fire

Fire vents through roof on E2 side of house. Gary Dinkel photo

 

Kitchener firemen battle house fire

Gary Dinkel photo

 

Kitchener firemen battle house fire

Gary Dinkel photo