Div. A/B Corner where Squrt 51 initially operated before a collapse.
The Div. A wall can be seen leaning drastically outward
At 5:25 Sunday morning, June 19, 2011, fire erupted in Camden City at 1698 Federal St., the old Concord Chemical Company Building. Camden City Engine 9 arrived and reported a large vacant commercial building with heavy smoke throughout. A 2nd and 3rd Alarm were immediately requested. Camden City Battalion 1 arrived shortly there after and requested the 4th Alarm to be struck along with a Hazmat Response. Squrt 51 and Squad 13 along with Hazmat 13 responded into Camden upon the 4th Alarm being struck.
Div B Side
Squad 13 / Hazmat 13 began air monitoring and water run off sampling to ensure no chemicals or additional toxins were present in the building. This was confirmed that no additional hazardous materials were present and the Squad Company was released at 0800 hours. Squrt 51 remained on location, to continue master stream operations on the Division A Side of the building. The Squrt was relocated several times due to the building collapsing and concerns for additional collapses of the walls and roof. Shift change was made on scene with the members of B Platoon relieving A Platoon from the fire ground. Squrt 51 continued to operate until 1430 hours. The squrt was utilized extensively on the Division A side because of its ability to articulate and apply water up under the piles of debris via lower windows and openings.
Operating in a window on the Division A/D Corner
By flowing in through the lower windows the Squrt was able
to penetrate the fire underneath the collapsed roof
The neighbors of this building labelled it with "Keep Out"
and "Neighbors are Watching" to prevent vagrants
from entering the building.
Division A Wall Collapse
Notice the lower basement windows breached with the Squrt's stream.
These were covered with a metal mesh and stucco
Filling up the Div. A/B Corner with water to extinguish a deep seated fire
Initial Division A/B Corner that Squrt 51 positioned on
Division B/C Corner where Collingswood and Pennsauken
operated their Ladder pipes
After the members of A Platoon spent all afternoon on June 9, 2011 fighting a 12 Alarm blaze in Camden, Squrt 51's crew and Engine 22's crew made shift change at 0800 hours Friday morning only to find themselves returning to Camden City at 0230 hours, Saturday morning. This time at 400 Wilson St. for a 400' x 400', 3-story, J-Shaped building on fire. Camden City Battalion 1 reported early on that there was heavy fire showing and companies were experiencing water and man power issues. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Alarms were struck immediately. Squrt 51 and Engine 22 responded in on the 4th Alarm. Squrt 51 first backed down to the Division A / B Corner only to be redirected to the rear of the Building (Division C) due to water supply issues. Upon reaching Division C, Engine 22 and Squrt 51 were asked to establish a water supply for Collingswood's Ladder 16 and Pennsauken's Ladder 1124. With the help of Haddonfield's Engine 14, Engine 22 and Squrt 51 laid water supply lines from the aerial devices to the river front, where Philly Fire Boat 1 was located. This provided the companies with a substantial supply of water right from the Delaware.
Members of Engine 22 and Squrt 51 coming up with a game plan for the hose lay
With the water being sent from Philly Fire Boat 1, Squrt 51 was able to provide water to both Ladder 1124, via a 4" and 5" supply line, and Collingswood's Ladder 16, via a 4" supply to Haddonfield's Engine 14 and then to Collingswood's Ladder. Engine 22 and Squrt 51 operated until relief arrived at 0900 hours from the on coming shift, A Platoon. Shift change was made on scene at the fire with Engine 22 and Squrt 51 continuing to operate until 1100 hours.
Squrt 51
2x 4" Supplies and a 5" Supply Hose being
pumped by Squrt 51
Captain Gaeta (E-22) and Lt. Houck (SQ-51's O/T Officer)
Haddonfield's Engine 14 originally grabbed water from
a Camden Hydrant only to find it not sufficient. So a
4" supply line was stretched from SQ-51 to E-14,
to give them additional water.
On Thursday, June 9 2011, Cherry Hill firefighters responded to a multiple-alarm fire in the City of Camden.
"A" Platoon members from Engine 1322, Squirt 1351, and Ladder 1324 responded on the 4th alarm to the city's Gateway section at approximately 1530 hrs. Volunteers from Rehab 13 also responded for much needed support on the nearly 100 degree day.
The fire, initially starting in the vacant former Reliable Tire warehouse at Orchard and Chestnut streets, quickly spread to several nearby businesses and homes.
Eventually growing to 12-alarms, nearly 60 fire departments from throughout Camden County, as well as neighboring Burlington and Gloucester Counties, sent units to the blaze.
