STRUCTURE FIRE 01/22/2011
On the morning of
January 22, 2011, Ringwood Fire Companies were toned out,
for a house fire on Stonetown Road in the Stonetown section
of Ringwood. Ringwood Vol. Fire Co.#1 (Stonetown) Chief,
Bart Lidsky, upon confirmation immediately requested a
second alarm assignment as this section has no hydrants.
Upon his arrival, Chief Lidsky confirmed, a 2 1/2 story over
sized 2 car detached garage with a second floor apartment
showing heavy smoke. He confirmed that all occupants were
out of the structure and immediately assumed command and
began directing second alarm assignments along with incoming
apparatus.
Stonetown Engine 261 arrived on the scene first, under the
command of Captain Tim Riegel, with a full crew of six
firefighters. Lidsky directed 261 to deploy a primary and
secondary backup 1 3/4" hand line to the front of the garage
and upstairs into the apartment. Stonetown Tanker 262
arrived second and deployed into the driveway to serve as a
"nurse tanker" and tied into Engine 261. Stonetown Tanker
263 arrived next which tied into Stonetown Tanker 262.
Erskine Lakes Chief Rich Clarke arrived on scene and assumed
interior operations along with their Engine 241. A third 1
3/4" line was pulled from Engine 261 to the exterior of the
structure. Interior crews had a difficult time accessing the
seat of the fire as it had started in the downstairs, by a
wood stove, and was determined later to have been traveling
up inside of the walls. Once the main body of the fire was
exposed it was quickly knocked down by the first hose line.
Additional arriving units from the Skyline Lakes Fire Co.
assisted with ventilation and all three companies performed
extensive overhaul to ensure all hot spots were
extinguished. Additional manpower was provided by Erskine
Lakes Engine 243, Rescue 242, and Skyline Lakes Engines 251,
252, and Rescue 253. The Ringwood Volunteer Ambulance Corp.
provided rehab with support from the Ringwood PD Command
Post. Mutual aid companies on scene included Tuxedo Eagle
Valley, and a third tanker from West Milford Tanker 4 which
was also used for a water source. The mutual aid companies
of West Milford, Tuxedo, and Wanaque provided station
coverage for the vacant fire houses.
All companies had to battle single digit temperatures which
immediately froze all of the ground surfaces and hose lines
upon extinguishment. They also had to work around the downed
power line, that serviced the structure, that was still live
on the ground. The original alarm came in at 8:26 AM and
after overhaul and investigation was completed all companies
cleared the scene at about 11:00 AM.
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