MCFD was called around 19:30 hours for their second basement fire this week. Chiefs 1 & 2 arrived with Chief 1 taking operations and Chief 2 command. This fire in the basement found the balloon frame construction and made it to the cockloft in minutes, spreading throughout the upper floors of four row homes quickly. Engines 3 & 2 secured water supplies and initiated interior attack with crews from stations 1, 4, and 5. Atlas Engine 21 was called to secure a water supply from another hydrant grid as the fire began to progress. In all 3 alarms were sounded as fire crews battled temps near 0 degrees causing extreme ice conditions and many frozen hoses and ladders. Crews from Truck 2 made vertical ventilation holes to help inside crews battle the fire and keep the fire from destroying the 3rd and 4th row homes. A number of firefighters suffered injuries due to falls on ice.
THANK YOU to all of the mutual aid fire companies that responded to Mount Carmel.
This was the 4th structure fire in our area this past week, not to mention all of the others just outside of our area. Fire officials would like to remind residents to have their furnaces checked and cleaned as necessary and to use supplemental heat sources wisely. Don't use space heaters near combustible materials, such as drapes and furniture. Don't leave space heaters or candles burn unattended. Make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries and are tested weekly.
In the event there is a fire in your home, have everyone exit the home immediately, call 911, notify neighbors, and NEVER go back into a burning home for anything or even an adjacent home.
Residents with questions about fire safety can call any fire station or the borough office to be put in contact with a fire chief. Inspections can be done to help determine any unsafe conditions.

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