Click above for video from WBAL-TV.       

Watch WBFF-TV story        

Watch WJZ-TV story        

For the first time since the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 fire equipment from the Nation’s Capital was sent to assist the Baltimore City Fire Department. Between 5:30 PM and midnight there were two four-alarm fires and a two-alarm fire in Baltimore.       

It started with rowhomes burning on the west side of the 1300 block of North Calhoun Street in West Baltimore around 5:30 PM. Before long flames were coming from homes on the east side of the street. Four-alarms were called to handle the fires on both sides of the street.       

Just past 6:30 PM two other rowhomes were burning two blocks to the east, in the 1300 block of North Carey Street. Many units from the Calhoun Street fire were then deployed on Carey Street. Operations Chief Donald Heinbuch walked over from the initial fire and took command. Fire Chief Jim Clack initially took the Charlie sector. This fire also went to four alarms.        

Click the image for more photos of the DC Fire & EMS Department units sent to Baltimore courtesy of Stanley J. Jaworski

Baltimore City required much mutual aid from around the region to respond to the additional alarms and fill firehouses.       

Sources indicate that the DC Fire & EMS Department sent the following units and command staff to the Steadman fire station: E-10, E-16, T-13, BC-4, FC Rubin, AFC-O Schultz, DFC-CA Crosswhite, and DFC-Special Operations Gill.   (Note: In 1904 the DC fire equipment went via the B & O Railroad.)     

Around 11:00 PM firefighters were called back to the 1300 block of North Carey for a rekindle. It was held to a single alarm.        

Here’s more from WJZ-TV:      

Sky Eye Chopper 13 caught the start of the second fire, right across the street from the first one on North Calhoun Street. Three rowhomes were ablaze and wind is most likely to blame.        

“It certainly could have played a factor in the second fire; we don’t know at this point. But when the initial companies arrived on location, there was very, very heavy fire and smoke conditions. Some embers may have blown onto these other homes,” said Kevin Cartwright.        

One hundred firefighters and 40 engines and trucks saturated the area, shutting down several streets. When the first and second fires were smoldering, there was another call. The third fire started just blocks away on Carey Street. Fire officials say the wind may have blown embers over to that block, but it could have been something else. Arson has not been ruled out.     

 As these fires burned Baltimore’s IAFF Local 734 sent this email at 7:01 PM:      

The fire originating in the 1300 block even side of N Calhoun Street has extended across the alley to the 1300 block odd side of N Carey Street.  A second alarm has been requested for that fire, in addition to the four alarms on N Calhoun Street. These fires have over 25 of Baltimore’s Fire engines and over 10 of its Hook and Ladder trucks on the scene. Remember,  due to the budget cuts from the Mayor and City Council,  there are currently 3 units sitting in stations unmanned in order to save money.        

There was also another multi-alarm fire (see video below). This time the fire was in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood at Charles Street and Madison Street.      

During the first week of August we ran some early video of a rocking vacant apartment building fire in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side. The fire was reported around 10:00 AM on August 2 at West Iowa Street and North Leclaire Avenue.

More recently the above video of the same fire was posted to YouTube. It is shot from A-B corner of the building. The initial video we posted (below) is shot from the B-C corner.

We should you warn you that the commentary on the latest video can be quite profane and is somewhat interesting.

Also, at about 7:20, as the snorkel is raising its boom, a light pole on the corner gives way and crashes into the cab of Squad 2a, narrowly missing a couple of firefighters stretching some LDH. From what I can see on the video it appears the wire attached to the pole may have been tougher than the pole itself.

More from Tarrytown-Sleep Hollow Patch

It turns out that 48-year-old Anthony Ruggiero and 51-year-old John Kelly were childhood friends. Both were volunteer firefighters in Tarrytown. But at the time he died city officials say Ruggiero was operating as a foreman for the Village of Tarrytown’s Public Works Department. Ruggiero had gone into a 15-foot manhole behing the Consolidated Engine Company around 6:30 PM Monday checking out a clogged sewer line and collapsed. Firefighter John Kelly went in after him. Both men died.  

Here’s more from WCBS-TV:

Anthony Ruggiero, 48, and John Kelly, 51, childhood friends, both fell victim to toxic fumes they encountered while in a waste sewer line, 15-feet below ground.

Investigators will try to determine exactly why Ruggiero and Kelly went down the manhole without a breathing apparatus. Most protocols for manhole work require an air monitor, air blowers, safety harnesses and a lost list of rules and regulations to safely enter the space.

Officials said the oxygen levels in the manhole were dangerously low — about 14-percent, and 20.8-percent is needed to sustain life.

First, no one may enter a manhole until the air quality is checked, and then levels must be constantly monitored by a co-worker for methane and other deadly gases.

The worker must go down the hole wearing a harness  attached to a winch that can easily be operated by a single safety operator — which makes it easy to rescue the worker if problems develop.

Any rescuers who go in must wear a breathing apparatus.

Police said Ruggiero went down the manhole behind Consolidated Engine Company 77 at around 6:30 p.m. Monday in his capacity as a Department of Public Works foreman to checkout a nearby blockage.

When he didn’t come back up, Kelly went down after him. He was also overcome by the toxic fumes and lost consciousness.

Listen live to Detroit Fire Department

From The Detroit News: 

Wind gusts of up to 50 mph that downed power lines and low humidity fueled the flames of at least 85 fires throughout the city. 

Dennis Walus photo from fire at E. Robinwood & Van Dyke. Click image for more pictures.

Power was out for 36,000 customers in the region, according to DTE Energy. 

The arid conditions combined with high winds were cited for at least 85 reported fires in a four-hour period Tuesday afternoon, city officials said.  

From an article by Cecil Angel and Melanie D. Scott from the Detroit Free Press: 

“There’s no fire bug here,” said Detroit Fire Department Capt. Steve Varnas surveying the damage from a blaze in the area of Van Dyke and 7 Mile that had claimed at least 17 structures. “Throughout the whole city, the same thing is happening: Wires down every where.” 

High winds were causing dead limbs to fall from trees, knocking down the wires which have been igniting, Varnas said. 

About 20 structures were reported burning in the area of Quinn Street near 7 Mile and Van Dyke on the city’s east side and spread over three side streets. Fires also have been reported at other locations on the city’s east side, including McClellan and Berry and McClellan at Murray.

Detroit Fire Chief Gregory Williams said today was one of the worst days for fires he’s seen in the 36 1/2 years he’s been with the department. 

“I haven’t had anything like this in 20 years,” he said regarding the fires in the city. 

 

Williams said firefighters got the call to come to the Van Dyke area at 5:20 p.m. and had the blazes there confined by about 8 p.m. He agreed that the fires appeared to be caused by downed electrical wires from the high winds. 

Williams said the sheer number of fires had stretched the department’s resources to the limit. 

As fires spread out of control late this afternoon, the Detroit Fire Department requested aid around 6 p.m. from the Warren Fire Department — an almost unprecedented request, Detroit Fire Capt. Dan McNamara said. 

Jersey City third alarm: A fire yesterday at 83 Bleecker Street. Five firefighters were taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion or smoke inhalation. Four families were left homeless. Click here for all five parts of the video and here for more details. 

Tarrytown, New York volunteer firefighter killed trying to save worker: Firefighter John Kelly tried to save a Tarrytown worker who collapsed inside a manhole behind a fire station. Kelly also went down and by the time his fellow firefighters could get to both men they were dead. Here’s our coverage.

Internal report on Seattle pump failure at fatal fire says it took seven minutes to get water: The Seattle Fire Department has issued a report on the fire in June that killed five people. The first arriving engine could not flow water because of an electronic keypad malfunction. Here’s the latest. 

Tour of Duty Run visits the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial: I’ve been reading about their run through 20 states in 31 days with a scheduled arrival in Manhattan on Saturday, September 11. It was nice to meet the group of Australian and U.S. firefighters and other first responders during their visit to Emmitsburg on Labor Day. Click here for some video I shot as part of my work with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, plus links to other news coverage of the event.

Dave loses it and goes after a former Congressman and Presidential candidate: I’m sorry that I needed to get on my soap box, but it appeared everyone was attacking the fire marshals of Fairfax County, Virginia for arresting two bartenders who were doing fire tricks inside a Herndon bar. Reading a blog by Georgia’s Bob Barr sent me over the top. Mr. Barr gives the indication that it is “fun” to play with fire in a bar and that anyone who thinks otherwise is a “busy-body” who is against “freedom”. If that’s the case, I guess you better sign me up as one those unfun, freedom-hating, busy-bodies. Read why I am proud to wear those labels.

Injured Kentucky firefighters believe staffing shortages contributed to injuries: With no overtime to fill vacant positions Lyndon firefighters believe trying to do more with less contributed to injuries last week during an apartment fire. Here’s the story. 

Fairfax County comes out on top for MDA: From Joel Kobersteen, communications director of IAFF Local 2068- “Thanks to the tremendous generosity of the citizens, visitors and employees of Fairfax County, IAFF Local 2068 was able to claim the crown as the highest raising Fill the Boot campaign in the United States.  Fairfax County collected an amazing $561,487.72 during their campaign, beating out Houston, Texas Local 341 who raised $489,081.00 during their campaign.”

Firefighters among those who lost homes in Colorado: At least four firefighters who are battling this 3500 acre blaze near Denver have lost their homes. Firegeezer has been following this one.

This is a apparently a house fire from 1993 in Blue Island, Illinois. Neighbors use a garden hose through a window to try and keep the fire in check as they wait for the arrival of the fire department. When the first fire engine arrives on the scene it is staffed by one firefighter. The firefighter runs a line to the rear door and then runs back to charge it. But the citizens have other ideas on how that line should be used and have first crack on the nozzle. Soon other firefighters arrive. Make sure you listen all the way to the end and the comments from the woman about the department’s response.

Thanks to Firefighter Spot for finding this one.

FDNY Pier 97 fire dispatch details from Thomas Godoy, N.Y. Retired FD (unofficial)

Excerpts from WNYW-TV: 

More than 130 firefighters battled a three-alarm blaze at a sanitation garage on Pier 97 that shutdown the West Side highway. Three firefighters went to the hospital with minor injuries. 

The fire began at around 3:30 p.m. on 57th street and 12th avenue.  

The blaze was on a sanitation pier. It began in trailers containing garbage, according to FDNY. Fire officials are checking the stability of the pier after wooden parts of the structure and trailers filled with garbage went up in flames 

Click here for more pictures from NY1.

 

From NY1: 

“There were no injuries, no panic. Everyone got out, everyone did his and her job,” said Sanitation Supervisor Gilbert Keyes, who was inside the trailer when the fire broke. “We got keys to the cars, moved the cars off the pier and made an alleyway, made it accessible for the Fire Department to do their part.” 

“All the men lost their uniforms, boots, personal items that were in their lockers…. Their lunchroom was gone, the whole north field is gone,” he said. 

Firefighters were concerned that the day’s strong winds would spread to a nearby Consolidated Edison pier that contained fuel lines, but the fire was able to be contained.  

There is now a lot more detail about the five on-call firefighters accused of starting fires in three vacant homes in the Massachusetts towns of Brimfield and Holland. It probably won’t surprise anyone familiar with the issue of firefighter arson that these were young men who said they set the fires because they were bored. They weren’t seeing enough action, except the EMS calls that really didn’t interest them.

In this case there is also the issue of greed. They were on-call firefighters who needed the money from the fire responses. The firefighters charged are Patrick K. Elliott, 19, a call firefighter with the Brimfield Fire Department, Brian S. Findlay, 18, a call firefighter with the Brimfield and Holland fire departments, Jordan R. Frank, 18, a call firefighter with the Brimfield Fire Department, Dylan J. Lajeunesse, 18,a call firefighter with the Holland Fire Department and Donald C. Moores, 20, a call firefighter with the Brimfield and Holland fire departments.

In an excellent article by Gerard F. Russell and Kim Ring at Telegram.com, the reporters go through the police report showing how the five firefighters set the fires and how they were caught. The story indicates investigators focused on the firefighters following a call to a tip line. The caller said one of the firefighters told a friend he and other firefighters had set the fires.

A couple of other interesting points from the excerpts below. The firefighters weren’t very good at starting fires, needing to go back and get gasoline in order to get two of the fires going. 

Note the evidence the investigators now have thanks to the young firefighters texting each other with details about what they were doing. Not long before I became a volunteer in the 1970s a couple of firefighter arsonists were arrested from the company I joined. Of course there was no texting in those days. I was told what helped catch the pair was they were on an alternate fire department radio channel when one asked the other if they removed the gasoline can.

Here are some of the details from Massachusetts firefighter arson ring:

The police report detailed the men’s alleged activities leading up to each fire, which included text messages in which the men talked about their involvement in the fires. The police narrative details episodes of failed attempts to light fires with a mixture of oil and diesel fuel in plastic containers that was mixed at the Brimfield Fire Department by Mr. Elliott.

Some of the men allegedly hung out together at the Brimfield fire headquarters, became bored and rode around the town looking for abandoned homes to burn. Prior to one of the fires, Mr. Frank told police that Mr. Elliott “made a mixture of oil, and either gas, diesel or kerosene” and put it into a large antifreeze container. Mr. Elliott “had the container with the mixture between his legs in the front passenger seat.”

After pouring the mixture all over the garage door at the Chandler Road fire, Mr. Elliott tried lighting the accelerant but “it flashed and went down.” The men left and went back to the Brimfield fire station. Mr. Frank said Mr. Elliott “was freaking out because his prints were everywhere.” So the men drove back and the fire was smoldering. They then went to the home of one of the men to wait for the fire call tones that sound to alert firefighters to respond to fires.

After the first fire during the cleanup, Mr. Moores had asked Mr. Frank, of West Brookfield, how he arrived at the fire so fast. Mr. Frank said he was in the area with Mr. Elliott, Mr. Patrick and Mr. Findlay. In a police interview, Mr. Moores said he asked the men if they started the fire and they denied it.

“Moores stated he has known these guys a long time and he knew they were lying about the fire so he asked a second time and they all laughed and Elliott stated they did start it,” the report said.

Hours before the second fire on Washington Road, Mr. Elliott allegedly telephoned Mr. Moores, who was visiting another firefighter in town. Mr. Moores was preparing to go home Mr. Elliott told him to “just stay in town.”

Mr. Moores asked Mr. Elliott, “Why, are you going to start another fire?” Mr. Elliott did not answer the question. Just before midnight, Mr. Moores spotted Mr. Elliott, Mr. Frank and Mr. Findlay at Cumberland Farms, and Mr. Moores again asked Mr. Elliott why he should stay in town. Mr. Elliott responded, “You know why.”

All of the men then drove to the Brimfield fire station, where an accelerant was mixed inside the bay where the ambulance and forestry trucks were parked.

Mr. Moores told police that before the third fire, in Holland, he received a text message to meet Mr. Elliott, Mr. Findlay, Mr. Frank and Mr. Lajeunesse to start another fire.

As in a previous fire, the men had trouble getting the fire going. Around 1:30 a.m., Mr. Findlay got a text message saying the fire did not light.

As a result, Mr. Elliott and Mr. Frank returned to the fire department to get more gasoline and then went back to the Chandler Road home to relight it.

The police report said it was Mr. Elliott and Mr. Findlay who were bored and wanted to start the fires. In his interview with police, Mr. Lajeunesse said that “the reason for the fires was to look cool and go to fires.”

He added, “They didn’t want to go to medicals — as it is not what they look forward to. Lajeunesse stated that he joined the department to fight fires.”

View pictures from Dennis Walus of the fire at Highland Towers

The three videos on this page show the progression of the fire last night in Highland Park, Michigan that destroyed a vacant, historic apartment building. Photographer Dennis Walus was on the scene and shot the still pictures you see on this page. Here’s his account of the fire:

On Friday September 3rd 2010, The Highland Park Fire Department responded to a reported building fire at Woodward and Mclean. Upon arrival of HPFD units they reported a working fire on the 3rd floor of a vacant apartment building. Crews attempted to make an interior attack, but due to fire/building conditions and low manpower they were unable to make progress on the fire and were forced to evacuate the building and go defensive. Mutual aid was requested from the Hamtramck Fire Department for there tower and Berkley Public Safety responded with there quint. Defensive operations were started on the story 350 X 150 building. Additional mutual aid was then requested from the Detroit Fire Department. DFD responded with a full box alarm with an additional 2 engines & 2 Trucks. Crew fought this fire in defensive mode using 5 water towers. companies operated at this scene overnight to bring this fire under control.

From WXYZ-TV:

Fire fighters from Berkley, Hamtramck and Detroit all assisted in the efforts to douse the flames.

We’re told it might take until the end of the weekend to extinguish all of the hot spots.

While the official cause has not yet been determined Highland Park’s mayor says he believes the source of ignition is suspicious. He believes the blaze was set in at least three places across the sprawling building. It’s another in a string of suspected arsons that have recently plagued the city.

The Highland Towers have been vacant for several years, but when they were built 90 years ago the apartments were considered luxury living.

Brimfield Fire Department

Holland Fire Department

In Hampden County, Massachusetts, five call firefighters were arrested last night. They have been charged wih fires in vacant buildings in Brimfield and Holland. All five entered pleas of not guilty.

Here are excerpts from Boston.com:

No one was hurt in the three fires in June and July, but the alleged actions of the five young men drew denunciations from their chiefs, State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan and Hampden District Attorney William M. Bennett said today.

“The conduct of these defendants is outrageous,” Bennett said in a statement today. “Their callous disregard for the safety of the community and the safety of the dedicated firefighters who had to respond to the scene of the fires is shocking. It is a very sad day when people pledged to serve the public become a serious danger to the public.”

Robert McCarthy, president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, the union which represents 12,000 career firefighters in the state — not call firefighters — had harsh words for the accused men.

“I’m shocked. It’s tragic,” he said in a telephone interview. “As far as I’m concerned, they should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”

Jennifer Mieth, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Fire Services, said the firefighters did help put out the three fires but she could not say whether the men started the fires so they could get paid.

Excerpts from Telegram.com:

“A firefighter accused of deliberately setting fires betrays the public’s trust and destroys the credibility of the fire service,” state Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan said in a statement. “It is also a betrayal of the trust firefighters need to place in one another to see that everyone goes home at the end of the day.”

Charged with burning of a building are:

- Patrick K. Elliott, 19, of 12 Power Station Road, Charlton, a call firefighter with the Brimfield Fire Department.

- Brian S. Findlay, 18, of 85 Armatage Road, Ashford, Conn., a call firefighter with the Brimfield and Holland fire departments.

- Jordan R. Frank, 18, of 19 Cross St., West Brookfield, a call firefighter with the Brimfield Fire Department.

- Dylan J. Lajeunesse, 18, of 21 Union Road, Holland, a call firefighter with the Holland Fire Department.

- Donald C. Moores, 20, of 3 Forest Drive, Brimfield, a call firefighter with the Brimfield and Holland fire departments.

Holland Fire Chief Paul Foster said: “Unfortunately the actions of these five young men gives the entire fire service a black eye, which is unfair to the decent, honest members of the Holland and Brimfield Fire Departments who volunteer their time away from their families to properly train and respond to emergencies to protect their neighbors at all hours of the day or night.”