| In the early morning hours of May 7 2009 the Modena Fire Company was dispatched at 0112 along with Westwood, Pomeroy, and Coatesville to a reported house fire at 496 Buck Run Road in East Fallowfield Township.
Chief Dowlin made the response shortly after dispatch and was advised by county radio that the resident believed the fire to be in the attic and they were evacuating. EMS Chief Biddle from Westwood was first to arrive on scene reporting smoke showing from the roof.
Ladder 43 and Chief Dowlin arrived simultaneously, Chief Dowlin assumed Buck Run Command switching operations to the FD-1. Ladder 43 operator laddered the roof as crews prepared to go to the roof and open up for ventilation. Engine 29-1 and 37-2 arrived on scene crews pulled hand lines and started inside for fire suppression. Additional ground ladders were thrown and salvage covers place on the first floor of the structure to protect the resident's floors and carpets. Engine 44-5 arrived and supplied Engine 37-2.
The fire ended up not being in the attic, the balk of the fire was held to the second floor bedroom closets in the open space between floors one and two. The fire was placed under control at 0145 with units working, no additional units were called.
The cause of the fire was determined to be a lighting strike to the front right corner of the structure. All personnel did a great job minimizing the damage to the structure by removing window not breaking them. Firefighters also covered the holes made in the roof for ventilation with some ply wood the resident had sitting around. Belfor was called to cover the hole made in the side of the structure.
All units cleared the scene at 0316. |
