On the morning of Sunday, February 25, 1906, a fire started in a partition on the second story of the building which housed the Lykens Valley Coal Company's sawmill and machine, carpentry, and blacksmith shops. The watchman, George Ely, did not discover it until it burst out. He went to sound the fire alarm, which was always done by sounding the whistle closest to the scene of a fire, and at 2:10 a.m. the "bull" whistle sounded, followed later by the other whistles at the mines. When he returned from giving the alarm, the entire structure was in flames and it was impossible to save anything. Liberty Hose Company No. 2 responded promptly and both carts were conveyed to the scene of the fire. There was nothing which could be done and the shops were completely destroyed. Damage was $15,000, fully covered by insurance.
Company 23, Engine 22, Engine 24, Tanker 24, Tanker 21, and Tanker 26 (in place of the out of service Tanker 22) were dispatched for an automatic fire alarm at the Minnich Terrace Apartments in Wiconisco. Engine 22 responded, and was canceled when Chief 23 on scene confirmed a false trip and placed the box in service.
At the request of EMS, Company 22 was dispatched to assist them with forcible entry to the Rattling Creek Apartments for an unknown medical emergency. Truck 22 responded with a crew of five, and was placed in service by EMS seconds after responding.
Truck 22 dispatched class one on the 21-1 to 72 Vine Street in Elizabethville for smoke in a structure. DO 21 arrived on scene and had a smoke condition on the first floor with a fire in the living room and upgraded the box to the first alarm. Truck 22 responded with 7 and Utility 22 with 3. On arrival at a 2 story single family wood frame Victorian style building the truck staged below the A/D corner and sent manpower forward to assist with extinguishment, ventilation and overhaul. Control was marked and command began releasing units and the truck was placed available.
Company 22 dispatched class three to 312 Spruce Street in Lykens Boro for a lift assist. Utility 22 responded with 2 and two additional members POV. On arrival the crew assisted EMS with moving a patient to their unit and then went available.
Company 22 dispatched class one to 421 Main Street in Lykens for a smoke investigation at that residence. Chief 22-2 went to the scene POV and Engine 22 responded with 5 and Truck 22 with 3. The Engine approached from the East and laid a 5 inch supply line from Main and Pine Street to the A/D corner of a two story wood frame single family dwelling with the resident standing outside. Truck 22 approached from the West and arrived on side A and set up. A 1 3/4 inch hand line was pulled to the front door side A while crews packed up and investigated both 421 and 423 Main Street. Nothing was found in either residence but there was a wood burner in 423 Main that was operating normally. After further investigation and nothing found the box was placed available.
A chimney fire occurred in the home of Miss Erma Kelly in Wiconisco on the morning of Wednesday, February 25, 1948. The Wiconisco fire company responded and used chemicals to extinguish the fire.
A single vehicle accident occurred around 2:50 p.m. on Wednesday, February 25, 1976, along Route 25, two miles east of Gratz. Alvin Williard, age 64, suffered a heart attack while driving his car west in Lykens Township. The car went out of control, traveled 250 feet off the north side of the road, and landed on its roof in a field.
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.
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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.
