Structure Fire in Lockport Contained After 90-Minute Battle
Photo by Stephen M WallaceFire had already blown out the lower South Window.
Photo by Stephen M WallaceThe Shift Commander had fire all around the rear of the structure upon arrival
Photo by Stephen M WallaceFirst Attack crews gear up to hold the fire from spreading to the front
Photo by Stephen M WallaceCrews quickly removed ladders to get to the windows for water attacks
Photo by Stephen M WallaceA lone Lockport Fire Fighter used a hand line to hold the fire
Photo by Stephen M wallaceFire broke through the roof line.
Photo by Stephen M WallaceFire fighters battled the heat of the blaze and 93 direct sun temperatures
Photo by Stephen M WallaceStand by crews arrived and went right to work.
LOCKPORT, NY – At 11:45 AM on August 11th, with temperatures already reaching 92 degrees, an alarm was received for a working structure fire on Rodgers Avenue in the City of Lockport. First-arriving units found heavy flames blowing out the rear of both the north and south sides of the house, with the rear porch area fully engulfed. Thick, dark smoke was already pushing out of the roof vents, and visible fire was spreading along the roofline.
A full standby crew was called in, and a FAST team from the Medina Fire Department in Orleans County was also dispatched to the scene.
A rapid interior attack team geared up and prepared to enter through the front in an effort to keep the fire contained to the rear. The truck operator ensured a full 5-inch supply line was in place and flowing before anyone entered the building.
Heavy smoke was reported in the attic and upper floors, with visible fire on the lower floors in the rear. A lone firefighter used a hand line to try to knock down the fire on the rear exterior and the flames moving along the roofline.
An immediate rehab area was set up under one of the only trees available to keep firefighters out of the direct sun.
Neighbors brought cold water to the crew members as they cooled off and changed out air packs.
Other teams rechecked interior areas, finding smoldering wood and embers in the kitchen and requesting an additional line to knock them down. The upper attack team ensured the attic was fully watered and any hidden hot spots were pulled and extinguished.
Medina's FAST team set up directly by the rehab station to be ready to respond to any firefighter emergency.
Lockport Police assisted the homeowners away from the scene, and the Red Cross was notified to provide shelter for three adults.
Thanks to the quick, organized response of the initial units and standby crews, the fire was held to the rear of the building, saving the majority of the structure. The department's Training Officer had a full accountability system in place from the start, ensuring all firefighters were tracked and accounted for.
The fire was declared under control in approximately 90 minutes.
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