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| Fire hydrant in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Garage Fire in Orland Park (Crystal Tree) Sunday morning
On Sunday February 2, 2014 at 08:27 we had a report of a fire in a residence at 14537 Crystal Tree Drive. The initial dispatch had Battalion 4, Truck 1, Engine 3, Engine 5, and ambulance 3 responding. Upon our arrival Engine 3 reported heavy smoke coming from the attached three car garage of a large 4000 square foot home. The alarm was upgraded to bring additional companies to the fire and additional units into the District to maintain emergency response District wide.
The initial crews responded within 1 minute of the call and were on the scene within 4 minutes. Engine 3 was the initial arriving company and made an aggressive interior attack while the first arriving Truck conducted a primary search to ensure the safety of the residents.
There were two residents in the home at the time of the fire, both left the home immediately and are in good condition. The fire was contained to the garage due to the quick response time and aggressive interior attack from the first arriving companies. Although the fire was contained to the garage compartment, the rest of the home did suffer heavy smoke damage. The fire companies doing salvage and overhaul did little additional damage making sure the fire did not extend to any other areas of the residence. The fire is still under investigation and the focus of the investigation is being directed at one of the two vehicles located in the garage.
Fire Chief Brucki said, "I was very proud of the rapid response and aggressive fire fighting techniques of the first arriving crews. Given the weather conditions and the other various challenges, our crews acted quickly to prevent further damage to the residence. The safety of the crews responding and the residents we serve is our main priority, however, we take pride in our ability to preserve property and assist the residents with cleanup after an incident. We realize the trauma and devastation a fire has on our residence and make every attempt to assist them in their time of need."
One additional public safety note, with all the snow and the plowing efforts to maintain safe travel on the roadways, please make sure all hydrants are clear and snow removed from around the hydrant so that fire companied can first find the hydrant and then utilize it in the event of a fire, Brucki said.
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