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Ten Minutes in the Street: The Triple Decker with Fire in the Attic
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Report of Heavy Fire Upon Arrival
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Alpha Street Side
The bells come in right after your last bite of dinner for a reported fire in multiple-occupancy residential. The building is located on a steep sloping road that you know all too well. The address sounds like it’s in the middle of the block and you start thinking about the other series of large houses located on the street and the exposure issues each provides. It sounds all too familiar, as you’ve “been down this road before”.
As the Engine Company winds down the street you can see that unmistakable glow in the night sky, slightly blurred by the street lights. It’s no mistake; you know you’re going to be rolling in on a working job in a few seconds.
As the Engine slows at the bottom of the street, you take a glance up the road and you know you’ve got a working structure fire. The Engine comes to a stop at the bottom of the road and you confirm the order to pick-up the hydrant. You’ve got a four staffed company and you’re ready for some work.
Engine Company 21 comes to a stop on street side and looks like you’re going t establish initial command. You observe from the Alpha side the glow of heavy fire in the rear (Charlie-side) and can readily see fire somewhere on the roof from your current vantage point of the front seat of the Engine.
Here’s what we have ahead of you;
• Large wood frame residential, with multiple occupancies.
• Actual occupancy load, undetermined at present
• Heavy fire, extending
• Balance of alarm assign is coming ( Based upon what you would have on the box)
• There are/may be exposure concerns at some point that you’re thinking about
• It’s night time shortly after dinner, on a Friday evening.
• The temperatures may be dropping rapidly due to an ensuing cold front coming in soon
• Your immediate next incoming company is the Truck Company, four person staffed
As the First-Due Engine Company Officer;
• What’s your radio transmission upon arrival for conditions and status?
• What are the immediate priorities that must be initiated?
• Describe what you see related to Building Profile, Occupancy Profile and Fire Conditions?
• How will this type of building perform, and what can be expected based upon its “Predictability of Performance?”
• What do you expect your assignment and task(s) to be after you turn over command?
• What does the Engine Company need to do and when?
• What’s the Risk Assessment and Risk Profile telling about this structure?
• What do you expect to happen in the next ten minutes of operations?
• What are the Two (2) most significant safety concerns to firefighting personnel at this type of fire, occupancy and structure?
"Did I hear that Second Alarm get transmitted yet?".....
...oh, BTW, Dispatch just transmitted there may be unaccounted for occupants based on a cell phone call from distressed occupants in the street.....
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Bravo-Charlie View
The bells come in right after your last bite of dinner for a reported fire in multiple-occupancy residential. The building is located on a steep sloping road that you know all too well. The address sounds like it’s in the middle of the block and you start thinking about the other series of large houses located on the street and the exposure issues each provides. It sounds all too familiar, as you’ve “been down this road before”.
As the Engine Company winds down the street you can see that unmistakable glow in the night sky, slightly blurred by the street lights. It’s no mistake; you know you’re going to be rolling in on a working job in a few seconds.
As the Engine slows at the bottom of the street, you take a glance up the road and you know you’ve got a working structure fire. The Engine comes to a stop at the bottom of the road and you confirm the order to pick-up the hydrant. You’ve got a four staffed company and you’re ready for some work.
Engine Company 21 comes to a stop on street side and looks like you’re going t establish initial command. You observe from the Alpha side the glow of heavy fire in the rear (Charlie-side) and can readily see fire somewhere on the roof from your current vantage point of the front seat of the Engine.
Here’s what we have ahead of you;
• Large wood frame residential, with multiple occupancies.
• Actual occupancy load, undetermined at present
• Heavy fire, extending
• Balance of alarm assign is coming ( Based upon what you would have on the box)
• There are/may be exposure concerns at some point that you’re thinking about
• It’s night time shortly after dinner, on a Friday evening.
• The temperatures may be dropping rapidly due to an ensuing cold front coming in soon
• Your immediate next incoming company is the Truck Company, four person staffed
As the First-Due Engine Company Officer;
• What’s your radio transmission upon arrival for conditions and status?
• What are the immediate priorities that must be initiated?
• Describe what you see related to Building Profile, Occupancy Profile and Fire Conditions?
• How will this type of building perform, and what can be expected based upon its “Predictability of Performance?”
• What do you expect your assignment and task(s) to be after you turn over command?
• What does the Engine Company need to do and when?
• What’s the Risk Assessment and Risk Profile telling about this structure?
• What do you expect to happen in the next ten minutes of operations?
• What are the Two (2) most significant safety concerns to firefighting personnel at this type of fire, occupancy and structure?
"Did I hear that Second Alarm get transmitted yet?".....
...oh, BTW, Dispatch just transmitted there may be unaccounted for occupants based on a cell phone call from distressed occupants in the street.....
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Reg Mathis on
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If the rest of the structure is as involved as these porches. Go defensive, protect your exposures and open up the BIG hoses!
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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I'm going to try and get back for some of the questions, but one thing I want to note is the possibility of a basement fire. This looks like it could be balloon frame construction. If no basement fire, it may be possible to make a push on this offensively for the attic, maybe a quick transitional knockdown of the bulk of the fire in the rear, but I wouldn't be too quick to write this off.
Priorities as always will be life safety, then getting the fire out. Looks like it is self venting from the roof, so no worries about opening that up.
And yes, next alarm would be transmitted.
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Permalink Reply by Smoke Eater on
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Engine 21 for dispatch, Engine 21 is arriving. Have a working fire in a 3 story wood frame residential structure. Heavy fire on the Charlie side of the structure. E21 will have (name of street) command. Strike a second alarm for this location. Also send utilities and PD to this location. We will be operating in fast attack mode. Next company will have command.
As always, life safety would be my number one priority. Then I would want to protect my exposures on the B,C, and D sides.
The structure appears to be of balloon frame construction and possibly an apartment building. It looks like there is a tv on in the top floor window on the A side.
If this is balloon frame construction, it's probably a loser. There is alot fire already showing. Anyone in the rear isn't going to survive those conditions. With it being wood frame it won't take long for this fire to level this house. We need to work fast.
I have basically turned over command as I have stated to dispatch that we are operating in fast attack mode.
The engine company is going to start an agressive attack with a 2 1/2 and a 1 3/4 as a back up.
Our risks would be the power lines out front as well as the rest of the building falling in due to the amount of fire.
I would say during the next ten minutes a search of the structure will be done during the initial attack. If the search yields no victims then all crews will be pulled out and we will go defensive.
The 2 most significant safety concerns would be the type of construction as well as the fact that this is a multiple occupancy dwelling meaning that there may be add-ons to the building and the stairways would be a huge issue as well.
That's all I have at this point. I might come up with something else while trying to fall asleep...LOL.
TCSS Everyone!!!
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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I want some pre-planning information before I commit on this one.
These don't look exactly like the usual Boston-area triple deckers.
The neighborhood isn't as urban, the exposures are more widely seperated, and the rear yards seem to be much larger than what I remember.
That makes me wonder if these are lightweight construction masquerading as classic triple-deckers.
If this were in my first due, I'd know, due to watching the construction take place over a year or so.
If these are just more widely spaced classic (older, balloon frame) triple deckers, I'd know that too.
Can you provide more information, Chris? If this is a balloon frame, I'm going to attack it much differently than I would a lightweight mimic.
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Permalink Reply by Dennis Hiscock on
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a second alarm is probably going to be needed....maybe even a third alarm...anything with extra hands should be called...PD and the power company should be called....
lay out a line that protects houses on either side of the complex already engulfed this will protect spread of fire
concerns:
traffic from non first responder(s), "on lookers" from accompanying houses....
in our area we don't have much of these structures if any...in the bigger areas that's all you see, any support system(s) ie. Auxiliary units should be called upon the second alarm
I probably don't have much to comment on this....sorry i can't be much help to you but i figure i'd add my 2 cents for it for what it's worth
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Permalink Reply by Loyd Dittfurth on
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ok Im going to attempt to do this one dont yell to loudly.
• What’s your radio transmission upon arrival for conditions and status?
This is engine ## we have a 3 story structure with fire showing from the roof and charlie and david side we will be initiating a defensive attack at the moment while we get some information of occupancy.
• What are the immediate priorities that must be initiated?
Utilities turned off and ladders to the windows on a, b, and d sides. Possibly have another engine lay a line from a different hydrant because of freezing temperatures. initiate primary search of the three apartments of alpha side.
• Describe what you see related to Building Profile, Occupancy Profile and Fire Conditions?
looks like a 6 family apartment building. charlie side top 2 floors I believe can be wrote off for the time being as far as life is conserned.
• How will this type of building perform, and what can be expected based upon its “Predictability of Performance?” the alpha side will start to burn and work down.
• What do you expect your assignment and task(s) to be after you turn over command? be fired for even trying to take command.
• What does the Engine Company need to do and when? lay water and initial hose lines and protect exposures.
• What’s the Risk Assessment and Risk Profile telling about this structure?
you dont want to gain access via the charlie side stairs.
• What do you expect to happen in the next ten minutes of operations?
We will knock down the fire on the charlie side. Move in to search the division 2 charlie side aswell as check for fire. Use ladders to go to division 3 search and extinguish. I really dont know how someone would ventilate that structure other than natural ventilation. Would move to the attic and check for extension. Maybe that would take more than 10 minutes.
• What are the Two (2) most significant safety concerns to firefighting personnel at this type of fire, occupancy and structure? Collapse of the stairs on charlie side and possible collapse of the building.
Ok this is the first one of these that I have done and to be honest I havent ever scene a building that looks like that or thought about it. So critique please but understand Im definatly not as well seasoned as some of you.
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that makes 2 of us my friend...I'm sure i'm going to be critique too and that's fine i'll take it as it comes...these type of buildings are not common around here...only 1 story would be all or even a flat level is the most around here.
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Permalink Reply by Jeff Cole on
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"Engine 21 arriving on (address) location, three story frame dwelling, heavy fire looks to be division 3, undetermined occupancy...strike second alarm, all responding engines secure water supply. E21 Captain inititiating command, gimme electric company...doubtful"
Engine lays forward LDH supply, positions for deck gun exposure protection/fire attack "d-side/B'-side of exposre 4.
Truck assigned address (front) side position.
IC completes 360.
"IC to radio...continueing size-up, heavy fire in the rear Charlie-side, invloving division 2. Second engine report to C side with portable monitor. Advise responding BC of suggesting a 3rd alarm, additional RIC and EMS"
Engine 21...operate deck gun on fire. stetch 2.5" line up interior stairwell w/ truck company. Conduct primary search, cover truck, and size-up interior conditions. Attempt to hold off/confine/control fire from stairwell, or division 2 until truck completes search. (remember fire has ahold of division 2 in rear) Access to rear C side looks to be untenable due to fire conditions.
2nd truck splitting, shut utilities at exterior if possible, and evacuating occupants of exposed 4 building, top floors first, closing windows, removing window dressings. (exposure control), ladder fire building.
Risk to operating personnel includes collpase potential, either from renovations, and addition of light-weight support systems, or extension of fire in walls. Priority of search and rescue, then evacuation.
Control of fire spread unlikely, roof ventilation not indicated due to extent of fire, and extreme pitch, along with hazards associated with water freezing.
Priority of street closing due to responding apparatus and access needed. Displaced occupants will require transport away from hazardous area and care due to wether conditions.
Priorties, exposure protection, and possible large area to search. Assign personnel and companies to complete search, and attempt to hold fire until search complete.
Position apparatus for aerial stream/tower ladder use, and deck gun/monitor use.
Fire will likely gain full control of upper floors. Evac tones and PAR once search completed, or as soon as conditions require evac.
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I like yours better
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You'd have Engine 21 attack with the deck pipe at the sasme time you have other firefighters conducting offensive operations inside?
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Permalink Reply by Christopher J. Naum, SFPE on
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Affirmative; balloon frame circa 1940's...
the location of this street setting is in a lesser density local than one would expect...
Transitional 2.5+ wood frame...has most charactoristics of a triple decker....( I was looking to "estblish" dialog amoungts those of you who understand tactical OPS in conventional 2-1/2 story wood frames and "deckers"... this issues on the Charlie-side related to the stacked porches and the predominate fire extension factors that play out these types of jobs...in addition to the magnitude and severity of fast progressing fire conditions that warrent well executed action plans and timely corridinated task operations by multiple companies....
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Yes and no. You can dump the pipe along the roof, and eves, without actually penetrating the interior. But as for attempting suppression while interior crews are searcing...of course not! The idea is to keep it down, reduce some of the radiant heat, and protect the exposure, specifically by 'washing' it.
I would NEVER advocate operatin a water stream from the exterior to the interior while companies are working inside.
It has happened to me more than once over the years, and it angered me very...much! I retaliated one time, got my revenge, but wasn't proud of it afterwards.
No man, I hear what your saying. IF I would suggest such a tactic, I would deserve the barrage of raging, acusatory insults that would no doubt be thrown my way.
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