Working House Fire In Longview Beach

 
By Fire Chief J.A. Nelson
September 12, 2011
 

On Monday evening before the business meeting, Stations 5, 1, 2, 7, 59 and 19 were alerted to a house fire on Meadow Road in Longview Beach. Chief 5 responded shortly after dispatch and was advised of a house with flames showing. A heavy column of smoke could be seen by responding units.

Chief 5 arrived on the scene and located a single story house with heavy fire through the roof. After a walk around the basement was found to be fully involved. Chief 5 established the Meadow Road Command. Engine 54 arrived on the scene and the crew stretched a line to the rear of the structure to begin an attack on the fire. Engine 51 supplied Engine 54.

Water Supply 5 set up a draft site on Lagoon Drive in Longview Beach for a tanker shuttle to the fire scene. Engine 14 was positioned to a secondary access on side D of the house and pulled lines along with Engine 224's crew to assist with extinguishment. Captain 5 handled operations and after gaining entry into the structure located full collapse of the first floor into the basement.

Other units responded to the scene and assisted with the fire. Engine 74, Engine 24, Engine 224, Engine 53 and Charles Tanker 1 were used in the tanker shuttle. Crews switched out on the lines until the fire was brought under control and contained to the basement. Neighbors stated that the house was vacant and was used as an storage building. This was apparent from the massive fire load in the basement. After about an hour of trying to extinguish the fire in the basement two foam lines were put in service.

Heavy equipment was used to knock walls down and gain access to the debris in the basement. Master streams were used on Engine 14 and 54 to flood the basement with water prior to the tanker shuttle being shut down. All units packed up and returned to quarters approximately 3 hours after initial dispatch.

The fire is currently under investigation by the State Fire Marshals Office.

Audio of the incident from RadioReference.com: http://www.sdvfd5.com/content/videos/201109121650-938090-5531.mp3 (Most of this incident was on a portable to portable Rins channel because of poor radio coverage in this area)

 
Units: Engine 54, Engine 51, Engine 53, Water Supply 5, Rescue 5, Utility 5, Command 5
 
Mutual Aid: Engine 14, Truck Company 1, Rescue 1, Engine 224, Engine 24, Engine 74, Rescue 7, La Plata Tanker 1, Ambulance 597, Ambulance 599, FM-53