All Hands Called for Third Alarm House Fire
By Firefighter Joe Gallup
September 1, 2010
The Oakland Police Dispatched the OFD to a home on Lakeshore Drive at approximately 02:13 this morning for possible fire. Chief Knapp, 1050 was first on location and relayed back to dispatch there was a working house fire and requested a second all hands tone along with sounding the siren. 1050 also activated Norcon for a Second and Third Alarm.
1050 performed a 360 of the property and observed the C side of the home was fully involved. Engine 1031 was first on scene with Lt. Mark Romme as officer. 1031 quickly deployed two hand lines for an immediate interior attack. 1041’s officer was Lt. Vinny Dies, 1032 Capt. Tim Ryan along with 1034 Lt. Vinny Incorvaia. 1032 established water supply for 1041. Ex Chief Pete Sondervan assumed the role of Operations coordinating the interior attack.
1041 set up the ladder to begin ventilation operations. The fire quickly moved up the C side of the home and worked into the attic. Fire began to self ventilate through the roof throwing flames 30 feet into the air. Wyckoff Ladder 241 arrived and set up on the A/B corner of the structure . Franklin Lakes Engine 335 hit another hydrant and deployed additional hand lines.
The fire moved through the attic from the B side to the D side of the home. Lt. Dies was up in the bucket of 1041 observing the fire conditions and reported to command the roof was buckling. Chief Knapp called for an immediate evacuation of the premises for firefighter safety. Within minutes of evacuating the home there was a partial roof collapse. Ladder 1041 opened up with two master streams darkening the fire enough for interior operations to resume.
Wyckoff, Oakland, Franklin Lakes, Midland Park, Mahwah and Waldwick returned into the structure to extinguish the remaining fire and perform overhaul.
All units were cleared from the scene at 06:00 hours.
Special thanks to the Oakland Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary for providing refreshments.
Photos courtesy of Wyckoff FD.
Units: 1031, 1032, 1034, 1041, 1044, 1046, 1050
Mutual Aid: Oakland Police, OFAS 801, 802 & 803, Franklin Lakes Engine, 330, Wyckoff 241, 230, 239, 249, Waldwick Fast Team, Mahwah Engine, 150, Midland Park 533, Fair Lawn Cascade, Pompton Lakes Ladder, Ringwood Eng., Franklin Lakes First Aid Squad