| At 09:48 Monday, December
5th, 2005 the Susquehanna County Communication Center alerted Elk
Lake Fire Company along with Montrose EMS and United Fire Company
(automatic mutual aid for engine and tanker) of a possible structure fire
on SR 3001 (the Elk Lake Rd) in Dimock twp. Elk Lake 11 (J.Finlon)
responding to the fire hall reported back to communications on his way by
the scene that it was a confirmed working fire and requested that united
upgrade the box to respond the tower as well. As units were
responding communications advised that they received a call from the
Susquehanna County Library in Montrose reporting that the home owners were
at the library and the three children were in school.
Renee Coy Photo
The interior crew with the help of the
camera began to advance on the fire while the crews worked on opening the
roof. Once the vent crew opened the roof the conditions inside
improved and the fire was quickly brought under control. Additional mutual
aid crews were arriving about the same time the fire was brought under
control and were put to work on overhaul on the second floor. Command
reported fire under control at 10:30 and overhaul continued for about
another hour. The fire was declaired out at 11:54. The family
arrived home shortly after crew arrived and the red cross was requested to
assist the family. Penelec electric company assited with a
power dissconnect and Pennsylvania department of Transportation also was
on hand to clean the water that had frozen on the road. The state
police fire marshal was contacted to determine a cause of the fire. |
Renee Coy Photo
Elk Lake engine 5 was the
first to arrive on scene reporting working fire flames showing from the
"B" side of the 2 1/2 story wood frame structure. United 13 (C.E.
Daly) arrived at the same time as elk lake engine 5 and Elk Lake 11 (J.
Finlon) assumed command placing united 13 as interior
operations. Crews stretched a 1.5" preconnect from the
engine to the front door. Crews had to force the front door and
advanced the line up the stairwell to the second floor. united 13 on the
nozzel was meet with heavy fire and thick smoke at the top of the stairs
and began an aggressive attack on the fire. The interior crew was
quickly pushed back to the stairs as the crew from United Tower 3 was
arriving. the Crews from the tower was quickly split by command one
crew was sent to the roof to open up while the other crew entered the
structure to back up the interior crew. United Engine 6 and Tanker 4
arrived the tanker began supplying Elk Lakes engine while United's engine
laid 5" from the scene to a pond about 1000' away. At this
point command reported back to county the status of the fire and requested
additional tankers from Springville Fire Company and Rush Fire
Company. Communications advised back that Rush Tanker was O.O.S. and
command requested that Meshoppen be requested for a tanker. The crew
from the tower entered the structure with a thermal imaging camera and
hand tools while the exterior crew laddered the roof with the help of
Montrose EMS.
Renee Coy Photo
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