News

Working Commercial Fire with Heavy Fire Showing - 4167 S. DuPont Parkway, Fairway's Inn
Thursday, July 4, 2013

At 0454, the CHC along Amb. 64, was dispatched to 4167 S. DuPont Blvd., The Fairway’s Inn for a reported working building fire. E44-4 under command of 44-15(Hankins) responded fully staffed within minutes, followed shortly by T44, L44, 44-3, and R44(all also fully staffed). While en-route Kent Center advised they were receiving multiple calls for a possible building fire, including 44-21(Everett) who confirmed the alarm as a working alarm while en-route to the station. While en-route command requested Tanker Co. 53 to respond due to no water source at the scene. Sta. 53 responded with a tanker and 2 engines. Less than 5 minutes after responding 44-4 arrived to find heavy fire showing from the bar/lounge/dance area of the establishment with heavy smoke pushing out from the rest of the building including the 2 story office/apartment section in the rear. E4 was placed on Rt. 13 NB in front of the building and crews began for attack. The crew split with one 2 man crew pulling a 1¾” handline to the front door on the R side of the building, and another 2 man crew pulling a 1½” handline to the front door to the left. While crews were preparing for entry, both L44 and T44 arrived. Command placed T44 on 13 in front of E4 and advised to establish a water supply, and L44 was placed in the side parking lot. L44 was assigned to help force entry, and begin exterior ventilation, begin primary searches once able to get inside, along with placing L44 in service on the roof. While crews forced entry the initial handline crews knocked down a bulk of the fire from the exterior by putting the hoses through the already vented front windows. Once both sets of doors were forced, crews were able to begin an aggressive interior attack in the bar area. Crews encountered heavy fire and heat inside the fully involved bar area. While crews from E4 were attacking the fire, and crews from L44 were ventilating and searching, E3 arrived and was positioned in the rear. A 2 man crew took a 1¾” handline into the rear doors to assist with suppression, while another part of E3’s crew assisted with searches in the 2nd floor apartments and office areas. As crews were coming out after battling the fire and heat, command requested Sta. 43(Cheswold) for and additional Rescue and Engine to assist with overhaul and ventilation. A one piece engine cover-up and Sta. 45 placed on dual response was also requested due to the extended scene time. After a thorough primary and secondary search of the entire fire building and adjoining apartments and offices, negative results were found. During this time crews also vented numerous holes in the roof of both buildings, along with opening the cupola vents over the bar area. 44-15 placed the scene under control at 0555 with all units remaining on scene working. Units remained on scene for another couple hours performing extensive overhaul, wetting down the entire building, assisting the FM unit, and wrapping up all equipment. The bar/lounge/dance area was completely gutted by fire and had extensive damage throughout. The 2 story addition to the rear which housed storage, offices and apartments had heavy smoke and heat damage. All units eventually cleared the scene at 0750 and turned the scene over to FM 19. As of 2 days after the alarm, the fire has been ruled an arson and is still being investigated by the DSFMO. If anyone has any info into this case please contact the DSFMO. Units responding: E44-4, T44, L44, E44-3, R44, 44-10, 44-8, T53-7, 53-2, 53-5, R43, 43-4, A & D 64, FM-19, DSP, TMC, and 26-2 for a 1 piece engine cover to Sta. 44. The CHC had 51 members respond to assist, and units were in service for 3 hours and 8 minutes. OIC was Fire Chief Isaac J. Hankins. Special thanks to Chief Johnson and the Clayton Fire Co. for the use of E45-4 while we had 2 engines out of service. As seen in the pictures E45-4 was running as 44-3. The truck was used for several days until 44-3 was put back into service. The truck was a big help and definitely got a good work out while at the scene