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Pictures by Wayne E. Ray at SnapShop47photos.com.
New details and video from WTAE-TV
Two firefighters were hurt this morning when an aerial ladder collapsed during a commercial fire in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. New Eagle VFD Firefighter Les “Hootie” Pemberton was at the tip of Ladder 14 (New Eagle VFD, Washington County) when it collapsed during ladder pipe operations. Pemberton was strapped in and rode the ladder down as it crashed onto a roof top. He was treated and released from the hospital on Sunday afternoon.
Photographer Wayne E. Ray with SnapShop47photos.com was on the fireground when the incident occurred. Wayne had already snapped pictures of Ladder 14 in operation in the rear of the building. Wayne was elsewhere on the fireground when the collapse occurred. He arrived around back and shot many pictures of the bent and crumpled ladder. Wayne was nice enough to send STATter911.com dozens of photos. We have some of them posted and will add more later.
Click above to watch Wayne E. Ray’s complete series of photos of Ladder 14 at the fireground in Monongahela, Pennsylvania.
Helmet-cam video of fire. Does not include collapse of Ladder 14.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s A.J. Panian reports it this way:
New Eagle firefighter Les “Hootie” Pemberton, 50, of Monongahela, was injured when he fell about 20 feet after the ladder from an aerial truck collapsed onto the roof of one of the buildings.
Pemberton was at the top of the ladder, about 50 feet above ground, spraying water onto the three-story building housing Hufnagel Computers when the ladder collapsed, said New Eagle Fire chief Paul Pro, 47.
“He was belted in on the ladder, and he rode it down all the way” to the roof, Pro said. “He did exactly what he should have done in that situation.”
Pemberton was taken to Mon Valley Hospital, where he was treated and released, Pro said.
“Before” picture from Google Maps Street View. Click image to tour the neighborhood. Click here for Bird’s Eye View from Bing.
The fire damaged Vocelli’s pizza, Hufnagel Computers, the Bee’s Nest Cafe and some apartments. It broke out at 5:15 AM today. Neighbors reported hearing explosions just before the fire was discovered.
Here is more about the fire and a close call for a cop from an Observer-Reporter article:
No one was seriously injured in the fire that appears to be traced to leaking natural gas in a Vocelli Pizza franchise, 222 W. Main St., authorities said.
“It was a very, very dangerous situation,” said Monongahela Police Chief Brian Tempest.
Police were called to the scene about 5:15 a.m. to investigate breaking glass, Tempest said.
Patrolman Bill Fusco encountered the fire and then entered the building to evacuate the tenants. Fusco was pulled from the building by a Carroll Township police officer because he was beginning to “go down,” overcome by smoke, Tempest said.
Ladder 14 from New Eagle VFD website.
Bee’s Nest owner Barbara Mayfield said she was concerned about how the fire started because she has complained about Monongahela police officer George Langan, who was arrested two days earlier on drug and corruption charges.
However, Washington County District Attorney Steve Toprani said it does not appear his widespread drug investigation in the city is related to the fire.
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Thank GOD the brothers walked away from this. Prayers sent your way.
Glad they were not hurt too awful bad. I personally would have soiled myself and had a heart attack.
sorry people. but hey dave. u know anything about a squad in pgco. is missing. went to shop and they send it to another shop. and dont remember where they send it. and they cant find it. and all the equipment is on it. care to comment.
Who puts people on a masterstram???? Didin't that go away with the sling pack? They probably rode the back step to the call as well.
Hey Monongahela V.F.D. Here's a helpful hint … If you want to use your aerial ladder to establish an elevated master stream and at the same time not place your firefighters in harm's way for NO REASON … use a halyard system and control your ladder pipe safely from the ground. There is NO REASON to put a firefighter on the tip of the aerial to operate the ladder pipe.
TRAIN AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!
Thankfully both firefighters escaped serious injury. As said previously use the lanyard system and do not subject your FF's to uneccesary risks.
Also, even though the ladder passed "inspection" annually; was it an approved UL inspection conducted by a reputable company?
That ladder is also over 30 years old based on chassis date on the website. Has the ladder ever been refurbed, changed? Maybe time for a newer truck company now.
Hey boys and girls … Lets start a topic on apparatus that have Roto-Rays mounted on them, Old and new rigs. Mmmmm … flashing lights and sirens!!!
Jesus, doesn't anyone use portable deluge sets anymore? I didn't think anyone in the "modern world" put people on an aerial ladder being used for a master stream anymore. Of course, this is Pennsylvania and they are still about 300 years behind in tactical operations.
where is squad 8?
Hmm, lets see:
Ladder hangs off back of apparatus (prior damage?)
Hose ran along side that failed
Larger hose than was intended for?
Insufficient elevation (sub 45 degree angle)
Tip load rating exceeded?
Yup, sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.
I have a question of what size the line feeding the pipe over the stick is…. appears to be larger that 3" can't tell from the pics. It it is 3-1/2 or 4" the older stick was not designed for that weight. Also some of the Maxim sticks in the northeast have, over the last few years after service testing have had the fly section of the the stick removed before being put back in service. Not sure the exact reason but think its a design problem being reconized.
My last comment about 100 ft Maxim ladders should have read that the 100 ft sticks after refurb came back as 90 ft with 4 sections of stick still there but extension decreased with more overlap of sections. Not sure of reason but someone must know. Design?
The USFA published a report back in 1996 on failures involving ladders of this vintage:
http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/tr-081.pdf
Judging by the low elevation, long extension and operation of the ladder it would appear to be a text book case straight from the report.
I thought the same thing–hose is too big, low level of operation, looks fully extended. READ YOUR DAMN MANUFACTURERS BOOK ON SAFE OPERATION> GO TO A LADDER CO CLASS> READ A TRADE MAGAZINE!!! IT AINT B>S> THATS WHY THEY TELL YOU NOT TO DO IT. o k, I'm better now. I hope all the guys are o k..
As I recall you are not supposed to raise that ladder over the cab or straight off the back.This was long time ago when I took that class,maybe that affected the ladder integrity.
Yeah, looks like some things weren't up to par. But.. Nicely done " Hootie" riding that bitch all the way down. Hopefully your next truck job will be on a newer truck. Good Job Brother.
Joe 2w5 said…
My last comment about 100 ft Maxim ladders should have read that the 100 ft sticks after refurb came back as 90 ft with 4 sections of stick still there but extension decreased with more overlap of sections. Not sure of reason but someone must know. Design?
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If a 100' ladder doesn't pass its certification test that doesn't mean you have to throw the truck away. You can have the ladder "restricted" to a length that does pass inspection..say 90' or 80' they usually accomplish this by installing blacks that prevent the ladder from extending to 100'
The Monongahela Fire Department still uses high pressure fog and booster reels at times. There's no modern technology or training there. This isn't something that surprises me – Washington County as a whole is behind the times on the modern fire service. They're lucky they haven't killed anyone else recently or had any major injuries.
A ladder truck that is 32 years old should have been taken out of service about 10 years ago. It has been an accident waiting to happen. Just like firefighters, all aerial ladders should be fitness tested annually.
Notice the lack of "K" bracing on the ladder truck that ALL modern ladders have today. Luckily everyone is ok.
WIll someone "in the know" post what size hose is running up that ladder–thats gotta be 3.5" or maybe 4"
The latest photo of the pipe in operation with 2 crew members on or near stick. SAYS it ALL
The lader would have been overloaded with a single FF at the tip, with no
Glad no deaths resulted.
Don't blame the apparatus, blame the "but dis is da way we has always done it" mentality, quite prevelant in many PA fire companies that think training is "what comes to mind on Monday night" and presented by a non-fire instructor. You get what you pay for. 99% of the time its all BS and easy jobs, but are you ready when the rubber meets the road? Not from what I've seen.
The line was a three in line. Ladder was at 45 degrees at 45 feet at the tiime of collapse. after it was at 20 degrees. When ladder started to sway the ladder was being pulled in and down so when it collasped the ladder did not flip upside down and cruch the firefighter on the end. All protocal were followed with the use of the ladder.
Who was the non fire intructor.
If that aerial was only extended to 45 ft there would have been total overlap with the butt of the top fly near the tip of the bed section. That aerial was extended beyond 75 feet. It appears to have been at or close to full extension and had been at an angle below 45 degrees in the fire photos. Even if it was not below 45 degrees at the moment it failed it was stressed beyond it's designed operating limitations at this fire. Note that the point of structural failure was on what Maxim called the lower mid section just above where it contacts the bed section. Another Maxim failed at this point when operated in this fashion in Seattle about 8 years ago.
If you look closely at the fire ground photos you will notice the Maxim load indicator mounted on the bed section. It is near the operators left shoulder as he stands at the pedistal in some of the first pictures. In spite of the fact that it is right in front of his face apparantly the operator did not read it. If so he would have seen that he was extended too far at too low an angle to have a man at the tip unsupported, let alone operate a ladder pipe.
In this case you didn't even have to read the manual, just the devices put on the turntable to know it was an unsafe operation.
Just from experience, my first thoughts are that the master stream hose line looks like 4" LDH, WAY TOO heavy for an old ladder. Common sense should say that you are not going to get any more water out of that style nozzle using the 4" than you could with 3". Just be thankful that we did not lose a brother.
Whose the non fire insructor that we are talking about.
I am so glad that you are all experts but wont even sign your name.
The non-instructors are in every fire station. They are the "know it alls" (many time officers)who pass on watered down or hear say type information from what was passed down to them. FD's should develop an in house instructor who can develop goal and benchmark orientated training, know how to deliver training information through prepared and written learning plans , etc. so that material is absorbed and through reinforcement retained. Along with Safety Officers fire depts should strive to have a real training curriculum planned by someone within your organization with this extra training and skill. After all, our job is saving lives- we need to be trained and developed like we say we are or we are not wearing fire fighting gear but a costume.
Jenn, Thank you for that comment. I was there and to boot was the operator. Yes the photos show ladder at 20 degrees. I guess I should of let it at 45 degrees as the ladder was falling, and it could on ladded on top of him. I think not. Thank god by fellow brother is ok. the ladder can be replaced his life can not. So all the experts who were not there thank you for the comments.
I think we can see why they didn't go by the book that the company produced to operate the aerial by.