Scrap Yard Fire in South Coatesville
 
By Fire Chief Frank Dowlin
October 18, 2020
 

On Sunday afternoon October 18th 2020, The Modena Fire Company was alerted at 1324 hrs to the Coatesville Scrap and Iron for a reported trash fire, Engine 75 from the mill was on scene reporting large pile of scrap burning.

Chief 37 arrived and requested and aerial be added to the assignment and established South 1st Ave Command.

Engine 37-3 lied in from the hydrant in front of the yard, Engine 44-5 took the hydrant and supplied Engine 37-3 which supplied Ladder 8.

A short time after flowing water from hydrant, units lost water pressure from the hydrant, at that time command requested a tanker task force and units switched over to porta tank operations at the front of the property, Captain 37A took water supply.

Engine 35, Tanker 35 made the way to the middle of the yard to a hydrant, that hydrant could support a few handlines but not much more.

Engine 33 went into the mill property and got on a raw water hydrant and supplied Ladder 8 and multiple master streams from that location.

Once tanker shuttle was established a consistent flow of water was placed on the fire for the next 5 hours.

All in all over 160,000 gals of water was used to extinguish the fire.

Units cleared the scrap yard and returned to station for a few hours of clean up, Special thanks to the Avondale, West Whiteland fire companies for the assistance with get our unit back in service.

Standby's were released and Modena Units went back in service at 2200 hrs

Photo's courtesy IrishEyez Photog

 
Units: Engine 37-1, Engine 37-3, Ambulance 37-1, Traffic 37, Squad 37
 
Mutual Aid: 44, 35, 8, 49, 23, 33, 24, 39, 27 Standby's Tanker 52, Engine 6