NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP (SCHUYLKILL COUNTY), PA: On September 24, 2010 at 14:15 hours a passerby spotted smoke coming from the Klingers Trucking service building on the Gordon Nagle Trail in North Manheim Township.
The Cressona and Schuylkill Haven Fire Department were then dispatched to Klingers Trucking on the Gordon Nagle Trail, North Manheim Township for a garage fire. The building was a large commercial garage that is used to service large trucks. The Cressona Fire Chief went on scene and reported he had explosions and smoke coming from the front of the large commercial building. He then confirmed a working commercial building fire and requested a second alarm to the scene. Fire companies from Orwigsburg, Pottsville, Wayne Township and Mount Carbon were then dispatch and responded.
Cressona Engine 41-10, Engine 41-17, Schuylkill Haven Engine 732, Engine 737, and Ladder 725 were the first units on the scene and went into operations. Cressona Fire Chief established incident command and request Pottsville and Minersville ladders to the scene. The RIT Team from Pottsville responded and stood by on Side A. Engine 41-17 hooked to a hydrant north of the fire scene on the Gordon Nagle Trail. The engine then laid LDH on Route 901 to Side A of the fire building. Engine 41-17 then supplied Engine 41-10 with hydrant water. Engine 737 established a connection to a hydrant on North Sillyman Street and feed Engine 732 and Ladder 725. The crew from Ladder 725 set up and placed their ladder into service above the building. The attack crews found fire throughout the building and extending through the roof. The fire spread quickly through the roof and through out the building.
Pottsville West End Ladder 51 and Minersville Ladder 519 staged on the A Side and sent their crews to man power staging. Pottsville City Engine 62 and Squad 72 was the first RIT companies on the scene and staged on the A Side of the structure. The second alarm engine companies from Mount Carbon, Orwigsburg, and Wayne Township staged on the Gordon Nagle Trail and sent their manpower to the scene.
A number of hose lines were advanced from the first three engines and ladder to the fire building. Fire fighters had to use power saws to cut access points into the large garage doors. The hose line teams were able to aim hose streams into the building to knock down the flames. Ground ladders were set to the roof so truck crews can access the roof. Ladder crews from Schuylkill Haven, Pottsville, and Minersville went to the roof and made multiple vent holes. The attack crews were able to open the large garage doors to allow the smoke and heat to vent. The fire conditions in the building improved and Command allowed the fire fighters to enter the building. Fire fighters then entered the building to reach the still burning fire inside. The interior crews pulled down burning ceiling and over hauled the fire.
The Incident Commander sized up the building and found that there were numerous parts of the building still burning. Command then had Minersville Engine 521 and Branch Township fire fighters dispatched due to extreme warm temperatures. Schuylkill Haven EMS, Pottsville EMS and American Red Cross were on scene for Rehab operations. District 58 (Pine Grove HH&L) and Saint Clair Engine 702 stood by at a Schuylkill Haven fire stations throughout the incident.
The building received major damage and the vehicles in side were a total loss. The cause of that fire was not determined and is currently being investigated by the State Police Arson investigator. The fire units cleared the fire scene and the roadway was reopened before 18:00 hours. The first alarm companies were sent back to the scene after 21:00 hours for a rekindle of the fire. The operating units overhauled the building a second time and then cleared the fire scene in a hour.
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ON SCENE WITH THE FIRST RESPONDERS OF THE COAL REGION