Early Tuesday morning November 4, 1924, shortly after midight, flames were discovered at the ice house of the Kerstetter Hotel in Gratz by Irvin Bixler and C.T. Updegrove. Volunteers quickly started a bucket brigade. But, a strong westerly wind soon had the entire central section of town in flames. Harry Smith got the assistance of a telephone operator in Elizabethville to call the fire companies of Lykens, Wiconisco, Elizabethville, Millersburg, and Valley View. Telegraphs were sent to Harrisburg for assistance. Goodwill, Friendship, Hope, and Mount Pleasant fire companies were loaded on a train and cleared to Millersburg, when they learned that the local fire companies had the blaze under control. They returned to Harrisburg. The Elizabethville, Lykens, and Wiconisco companies deserve great credit, as they worked hard and were instrumental in saving adjoining buildings to the flames. Miller Brother's store and Charles Klinger's home were on fire several times, but diligent watch by the firemen saved these buildings. The high winds carried burning embers a distance of half a mile. When the blaze was at its height, a haystack at the fairgrounds burst into flames, which was extinguished shortly after with little loss. Only the fact that the high wind died down in the early morning saved the town from destruction. The damage was estimated at $200,000. The Kerstetter Hotel and private property with outbuildings sustained a loss of more than $10,000 with little insurance coverage. Harry Smith's store, restaurant, public hall, residence, and bottling establishment, together with other small adjoining buildings fell, the loss of $50,000 with one-tenth insured. George Hepler lost two large barns with the season's crops containing hay, oats, corn, etc, and many up-to-date modern farming machines. Miller Brother's barn, Hoffman Brother's garage, and barns of Ira Rothermel, George Umholtz, and Daniel Koppenhaver were burned to the ground. The ballots and boxes for the presidential election that day had been delivered to the hotel on Monday. They were saved and taken to the First National Bank, where the election was held and voting carried out, instead of the appointed place, which was burned to the ground.
Engine 22 was requested to relocate to Tower City's fire station while they were out on a call. Engine 22 responded with a crew of six and remained at Station 790 until relieved by command.
Company-22 was dispatched to assist with a cardiac arrest call at 330 Main Street. Personnel assisted EMS in packaging and moving the patient from the home into an ambulance.
2006
Smoke in a Structure, 240 East Market Street (Box 24-1)
Truck 22 was dispatched, along with Engine 23, Company 24, and Company 66 to a report of smoke in an apartment building located at 240 East Market Street in Williamstown. Truck 22 responded with a crew of seven, and upon arrival staged at the C/D corner of the structure and awaited an assignment. Captain 24, on the scene with Tanker 24, searched the building and found no smoke. Command released all units, and the Truck went available.
At the request of Lieutenant 22-1 on scene, Company 22 dispatched class one to Don's Food Rite in Lykens for an odor of something burning outside the store. Chief 22 responded POV, and Engine 22 responded with 6 and Truck 22 with 4. On arrival, the apparatus took side B and investigated. Crews found the odor concentrated around the soda machines on the front porch of the store, and after unplugging them the odor went away. Command placed the box in service.
Company 22 dispatched class one to 432 Division Street in Lykens to assist EMS with a medical call for a choking victim. Chief 22 went enroute and as Engine 22 was responding with 4, EMS placed the company available.
With Medic 6 having an extended ETA they requested Company 22 dispatched class one to 600 Main Street at the Union House Apartments for an unconscious patient. Chiefs 22 and 22-1 responded to the scene, Utility 22 went enroute with 3 and Truck 22 with 5. On arrival the first in crew established patient contact and initiated care until the arrival of Medic 6. Command then placed the Company available.
Truck 22 dispatched class one to 122 Indian Trail Road in Lykens Township for what was initially a structure fire and then down graded to a chimney fire. Truck 22 went enroute with 7 and two members POV. On arrival the truck backed in to side A of a two story wood frame 30 by 50 foot single family Amish dwelling. Command requested that a crew go to the roof to run the chains and the bucket was used to accomplish that task. After repeated running of the chains followed by using the home owners chimney brush they inspected the chimney from the ground floor opening and determined that it was clear. Command then released the Truck and the box was placed available.
The section of calls we've responded to has been compiled from fire company records, newspapers, and other sources. Listings for years prior to 1981 might be incomplete.
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The listing of local incidents is for incidents that happened around our local area, including some from Lykens for which the fire company was not dispatched. It is certainly not a complete listing, and is not intended to be. It is included here for your entertainment. Incidents listed here have been gathered from public sources.
3.
The listing of other noteworthy incidents includes incidents from anywhere outside our local area (for which we were not dispatched). Also included in this section are historical events from our fire company, Lykens, or around the world. It is certainly not a complete listing, and is not intended to be. It is included here for your entertainment. Incidents and events listed here have been gathered from public sources.
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These lists can be filtered. Use the control section above to activate or de-activate filtering. Filtering will not affect the list of incidents we've responded to. But, it will be applied to both the other lists.
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