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Hope this is okay here, since it's a bit pic-heavy, even though it's sort of Off Topic-ish?

So over the weekend on Saturday, around 6:30 in the morning, we were awakened by the sounds of loud sirens. I looked out front and saw several fire engines speeding into the apartment complex where we live. I went outside, saw a lot of smoke and then ran up to the other end of the property and saw this:



There were many fire engines, two of which had ladders extended and were spraying water over the building. Equipment from 11 different fire companies arrived (which I found out later, from the local newspaper). I counted about 12 fire engines, not counting other vehicles. A good number of the residents in this part of the complex were outside or watching from second floor patios.



A pair of firefighters unloaded a stretcher from an ambulance near me. At first I thought someone was hurt, but then I noticed the stretcher was piled high with bottled water. I just missed seeing the bulk of the flames by the time I arrived, but there was a little tongue of flame just visible on the far left peak of the roof.



The upper entrance, which is usually closed off to local traffic with a chain, was opened up to let more vehicles in.



I got talking to some guy who lives nearby this building and he said the flames were shooting up a dozen or so feet in the air. The fire was really roiling along for about 10-15 minutes before the first help arrived.

Check out the "Ash Kick'n Fire Chicken" that is stenciled on the top of this vehicle's windshield.



Lots of smoke. The firefighters were using chain saws to cut into the roof, ventilating the fire and allowing them to get water in there.





Yet another fire truck arrives.





I stayed about 45 minutes watching the action. When I finally went back home, I saw this truck blocking the road up the hill to where the fire was.



The next day. Earlier this afternoon, I went back to get a closer look. This is looking at the far end of the building. That's a gas meter between those two doors.



Back side of the building. There used to be a second-floor deck there above the first-floor corner apartment's patio. The upper and lower apartments were almost totally destroyed. However, the light-colored firewall (gypsum) was able to keep the fire from spreading to the other apartments next to these.





The only damage visible from the front was a small part of the roof, missing some of its siding. If people driving by didn't know there was a fire here and didn't smell the lingering odor, they might never know there was a fire unless they went around the side.



The local paper said there was at least $500,000 worth of damage to the apartments, not counting all the personal possessions that were lost. The woman who lived upstairs was traveling for two weeks in Greece. A 19 year-old friend of her son's was staying with her (after the son moved out...huh?). He had a friend of his own there staying over when the fire started

No one was hurt, but a few people lost everything. One of the tenants is missing a pair of cats that fled her place when everyone evacuated. 3 or 4 of the units suffered water and smoke damage. About 1/3 of the building itself was involved in some way.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

I should've taken pictures during the giant fire here in California. At one point our house and neighborhood was engulfed in orange smoke and embers were flying into our yard. It was almost like night.

Our house survived, along with the rest of our neighborhood however.

Shinova wrote:I should've taken pictures during the giant fire here in California. At one point our house and neighborhood was engulfed in orange smoke and embers were flying into our yard. It was almost like night.

Yeah, I've seen video of situations like that. It can look almost unearthly.

Of course, what I saw here pales in comparison, but I haven't seen many house fires up close. I think this was the first one. It's certainly the only one I remember seeing.

Holy shit that's a close call.


And I'm surprised the sheet rock stopped the fire, usually that shit contributes to a blaze.

Pretty interesting, it's unearving to think how quickly all of ones possesions can be burnt away like that.
Where do you live? By the tree and house, I'd guess English countryside, or American suburbs (Probably New England). Am I anywhere near?

Looks like American suburbs (car in one pic has wheel on left side).

Phantasee wrote:Holy shit that's a close call.


And I'm surprised the sheet rock stopped the fire, usually that shit contributes to a blaze.

I don't know anything about Gypsum's fire-resistant properties, but the report in the paper stated that,

The fire ran up the outside wall, melting away the siding as the building burned, although “the firewall did its job,” Rumler said. “It’s the two-inch gypsum board; it contained the fire to the upstairs and downstairs unit.”

"Rumler" is the local fire marshal.

DEATH wrote:Pretty interesting, it's unearving to think how quickly all of ones possesions can be burnt away like that.

Yep. And what I want to know is if the woman who is traveling in Greece knows her place has been reduced to cinders...

Where do you live? By the tree and house, I'd guess English countryside, or American suburbs (Probably New England). Am I anywhere near?

English countryside? Interesting. You mean the SUVs didn't tip you off? I'm about 28 miles northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Edit, a quick search shows that Gypsum is used in firewalls and has ratings of so many hours' worth of fire-resistance. One-hour firewalls, two-hour walls, etc.

So I've seen red firetrucks and green firetrucks, and even some predominantly white with red striping firetrucks. This is the first time I've ever seen an orange one though.

Do you have any idea where that one came from? I gathered the red and green were probably from different agencies (city and county or something) so I'd guess the orange was as well, unless they just have orange trucks for some reason.

RogueIce wrote:So I've seen red firetrucks and green firetrucks, and even some predominantly white with red striping firetrucks. This is the first time I've ever seen an orange one though.

Do you have any idea where that one came from?

In the original high-res pictures I took, you can see the lettering of some of the vehicles.

Anyway, the white over orange truck you asked about belongs to Liberty Fire Company 63 and it's apparently based in Spring City, PA. They have a website, but it seems to be down at the moment.

I gathered the red and green were probably from different agencies (city and county or something) so I'd guess the orange was as well, unless they just have orange trucks for some reason.

Yeah, it was a two-alarm call and there were vehicles from 11 different companies, all local. That surprised me, but someone I talked to said that each company sends one or two vehicles so their remaining vehicles at the respective fire stations are available in case another fire call is made in the area. I don't know how factual that is, but it seems logical enough!

In any case, the green one? If you mean the yellowish green one (visible in at least the top two pictures above), it's a pumper from the Linfield Fire Company 51, in Linfield, PA. They have a website here and there are a few decent photos there, but none of that particular vehicle that I can find.

If you do indeed mean the white over dark green vehicle that is between the building and the ladder truck on the left, that one belongs to Limerick Fire Company 54 and they have a site here with some better pics.

In fact, at LFC 54's website, they have some pictures from this very fire! With actual flames visible.

The red ladders trucks and pumpers are from several different companies, including Humane Fire Company in Royersford, PA (also with pictures from this incident); Friendship Hook, Ladder, Hose, & Ambulance Company in Royersford, PA; Trappe Fire Company (Station 77) in Trappe, PA and a few others I am too tired to check out right now.

Ah, thanks for the info.

I was going to say that that's a lot of different jurisdictions for one fire but then I remembered in MA at least that the townships are all pretty close together. Is it the same way in PA?

And I'm assuming the places you named off are all various independent incorporated entities as far as government is concerned?

There was an apartment fire here that managed to attract three jurisdictions a couple days ago (county and two incorporated cities) but that was fairly unusual (except for major fires I'd imagine). While it was technically in the unincorporated county area, it was also fairly close to the two city lines so I assume they called stations from there since it'd be quicker than calling another county station.

FSTargetDrone wrote:English countryside? Interesting. You mean the SUVs didn't tip you off? I'm about 28 miles northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Edit, a quick search shows that Gypsum is used in firewalls and has ratings of so many hours' worth of fire-resistance. One-hour firewalls, two-hour walls, etc.

Never mind the SUVs; all the assorted emergency vehicles give it away - US fire engines and the like always look slightly 'retro' to me (not to mention, you said "fire companies" in your OP; fire brigades are run by the local councils here).

RogueIce wrote:Ah, thanks for the info.

I was going to say that that's a lot of different jurisdictions for one fire but then I remembered in MA at least that the townships are all pretty close together. Is it the same way in PA?

And I'm assuming the places you named off are all various independent incorporated entities as far as government is concerned?

Yes, the townships are close together. Some of the towns I mentioned are from two different, neighboring counties. Beyond that, I just don't know all of the details for you are far as jurisdictions, etc., but at least one of those places above that sent a fire vehicle is an unincorporated borough.

andrewgpaul wrote:Never mind the SUVs; all the assorted emergency vehicles give it away - US fire engines and the like always look slightly 'retro' to me (not to mention, you said "fire companies" in your OP; fire brigades are run by the local councils here).

That and the license plates, I imagine. They are different from the ones I've seen pictures of in Europe.

I wish I had thought to pay more attention to and get better pictures of the different vehicles. I may not (hopefully) see so many vehicles like that together in one place again anytime soon. It was early and I just wasn't thinking straight.