On Friday morning, at 12:35 o'clock, an alarm of fire was sounded from Liberty hose house and the department responded at once. The fire was found to be in the bakeshop of Thomas Harper, located on Railroad Street. Connections were made at the plug in front of the liquor store and the fire was soon extinguished by our efficient firemen. The entire interior of the shop, together with a lot of flour, eggs, pretzels, sugar, and the sponge for the next day's baking were destroyed. It is not known how the fire originated. The loss, estimated at $500, was covered by insurance. After the fire was extinguished, Mr. Harper furnished elegant refreshments for the firemen.
Company-22 was dispatched to the Lykens Borough Building (fomer Dance Hall in the West Borough Park) to remove an excessive amount of snow from the roof that was causing numerous leaks inside. Truck-22 responded with a crew of five, used ladders to access the roof, and shoveled off most of the 2 feet of snow. Drains located on the roof were found frozen and not draining properly.
Company 22 was dispatched to 25 Main Street for a dryer fire in the "Lykens Laundromat". Engine 22 arrived on the scene with an assignment from incident command. Fire was confirmed in a dryer. It was extinguished by firefighters using fire extinguishers, after which dry-chem and a small amount of smoke filled the structure. Engine 23 used negative pressure to ventilate, until Truck 22 responded, non-emergency, with a PPV fan. Truck 22 took over ventilation, while Engine 22 firefighters assisted with salvage and overhaul of the contents of the dryer. A water can was used to cool the dryer and extinguish the remaining contents (bath towels). Lykens PSP also had a unit on the scene to assist.
Company 22 was dispatched to 656 North Street for a CO alarm activation. Engine 22 responded with a crew of six and Chief 22 responded POV. This location has had similar CO problems in the past. A crew monitored the air in the home and got elevated CO readings. The coal hopper was found empty and it was suspected that was the cause of the CO in the home. The furnace was shut down, and the home was ventilated. When the CO readings dropped to 0 ppm, the coal hopper was filled and the furnace was restarted. The crew continued to monitor the CO level. It was discovered that CO was continuing to come from the coal hopper. The furnace was shut down. When the CO readings dropped to 0 ppm, the property was released back to the occupants, with the advice they leave the furnace off until they have a qualified service technician check it. The company was released by command and went available. The outside temperature was 20?F.
2009
Smoke in a Basement, 1300 West Market Street (Box 24-3)
Companies 24, 23, 66, and Truck 22 were dispatched to a report of smoke in a basement at 1300 West Market Street in Williams Township. Truck 22 responded with a crew of seven, and staged on side-A, laddering the building. Command reported an apparent furnace problem. A crew examined the chimney from the roof, and a second crew went interior and found elevated CO levels and a slight haze on the second floor. The interior crew opened windows to vent the building, while the roof crew checked and found the chimney to be clear. The truck crew was released by command and went available.
2014
Smoke in a Structure, 100 East Market Street (Box 24-1)
Companies 24, 23, Truck 22 and Engine 21 dispatched class one to 100 East Market Street in Williamstown for a report of smoke in a structure. Truck 22 responded with 6 and Utility 22 with 2. On arrival, the Truck staged on the A/B corner and laddered the front of the structure and checked the upper floor while crews from 24 and 23 went interior on the first floor. There was a commercial laundromat on the first floor and the source was located, a dryer that was smoking. Power and propane was secured and crew assisted with ventilation until released by command.
Company 22 and Engine 23 dispatched class one to 603 Spruce Street in Lykens for a propane odor outside. Chief 22 responded POV, Engine 22 responded with 6 and staged at the hydrant at the intersection of South Second and Spruce Streets, Engine 23 responded with 5 and staged at the hydrant at Main and Spruce Streets, and Utility 22 responded with 4 and staged behind Engine 22. Crews investigated, assisted by the Lykens PD, and found that an oil burner in a neighboring property had kicked on and caused the odor. Command placed the box in service.
The 21-6 box dispatched class one to 6236 Route 209 in Washington Township for a stove fire in a second floor apartment. This sent Company 21, Truck 22 and Engine 22 for the out of service Engine 23. Truck 22 responded with 5, Engine 22 with 5, Engine 21 with 6, Tanker 21 with 2 and Rescue 23 with 6. Chief 21-2 arrived on scene and assumed command and requested first Engine and Truck into the apartment building parking lot and prepare to pull a line. Truck 22 arrived and sent a crew interior with tools, a can and the TIC. Engine 22 arrived next and sent additional manpower to assist. Engine 21 arrived and staged on Route 209, as did Rescue 23. Investigation found a stove in the second floor apartment that had been on fire and the occupant had knocked down with a fire extinguisher. The controls were melted and the stove burner was still on. Crew dis-connected the stove from power and checked the walls for extension. Negative pressure fans were brought in to clear smoke from the second and third floors and command marked control. The crews continued to assist with salvage and overhaul until released by command 21.
2023
Gas leak outside, 101 East Broad Street (Box 24-1)
Company 22 dispatched class one at the request of Captain 24 to respond to 101 East Broad Street in Williamstown to assist Engine 24 for an odor of propane outside. Engine 22 responded with 5 and Truck 22 with 4. The Truck was placed in service. On the arrival of the Engine the crew took the gas meter to a duplex structure at 115-117 East Broad Street and took readings. After turning off two outside propane cylinders the smell went away. Command placed the box available.
Leukerbad, Switzerland is located in the the head of Swiss Valais. Sizable snowfalls accumulated in the Alps during December, 1717. On January 17, 1718, two avalances occurred. The first one killed three men on the outskirts of Leukerbad. The second one, later that day, was huge. It struck Leukerbad, crushing houses and businesses. 55 people were dead. One man was found alive after eight days, but died shortly after his rescue. The final victim to be found was a young girl. She was found, still in her bed, far away from her home in a meadow after the snow melted. By 1720, the houses and inns had been rebuilt and repaired. Just after that, Leukerbad was hit again. All the new buildings were badly damaged and more people died.
The Olyphant Breaker and Washery of the Delaware and Hudson Company at Olyphant, Pennsylvania, was totally destroyed by fire on January 17, 1904. A hot journal is supposed to have started the blaze. The breaker was one of the largest and most modern in the State, having a capacity of 2,200 tons per day. The loss is $110,000.
1956
SS Salem Maritime Tanker Fire - Lake Charles, LA
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