FIRST DUE THIRD ALARM FIRE: 1611 MILTON AVENUE

At approx. 1750 hours Solvay, Taunton Ladder 5, and Fairmount Engine 6 (R.I.T.) were alerted to the scene of a reported building fire in the rear of 1611 Milton Avenue (Fairmount Carpet). Solvay Car 1 (Cantello) and Car 2 (Spaeth) went enroute. Onondaga Communications informed the chiefs that they were now taking multiple calls on the incident and Solvay Police have arrived to find heavy smoke showing. Car 1 arrived and upgraded the assignment to a Signal 99 adding Lakeside Engine 3 and Fairmount Truck 1 which were both brought to the scene with Onondaga Hill to Station 2 (directed to scene while enroute).

Solvay Engine 22 arrived with a crew of 7 and quickly stretched the 300' line down an alley on side D while also obtaining a water supply. By the time crews made it to side C the building had flashed and heavy fire was found in the rear. Engine 22's crew began to knock down the fire and made entry into a rear doorway. Fairmount Engine 6 was second arriving and began to make a second water supply and was moved from R.I.T. to operating on the scene. Their crew strecthed a line into side A division 1 of the structure. Upon entry and advancing approx. 50-100 ft inside, their crew met heavy fire conditons. Upon entry of both crews conditions rapidly deteriorated and command called for evacuation of the structure. All crews were removed and the fire began a rapid advance throughout the structure.

Upon evacuation multiple arial devices were brought in to the scene and a heavy defensive operation began. Due to the heavy fire load crews put forth extensive efforts to protect the exposures on sides B and D. The fire had spread from the initial building into the second story where two apartments were located. Engine 22's crew advanced up 22's aerial device and took the second story windows on side A while Taunton, Lakeside, and Solvay began to gain acces to side D.

Taunton Ladder 5, Onondaga Hill Truck 4, Camillus Truck 8, and City of Syracuse Truck 3 positioned on towards the rear of the structure while Solvay Engine 22, Fairmount Truck 1, and Liverpool Truck 2 positioned towards the front. Eventually the roof and Side A of the structure collapsed and extensive efforts were made to protect the building on Side B. Crews operated for hours until the bulk of the fire was declared knocked down at approx. 2300 hrs.

Throughout the night crews rotated to warm up and refuel and additional companies were rotated and relieved from the scene. Units remained on the scene until 0900 hrs. 2/17/14 smothering smoldering portions of the fire. A fuel truck was brought in from Syracuse Fire Department to fill the units operating on the scene due to the length of the incident. The exposures on Side B & D were saved and only minimal smoke and fire damage had occured to those buildings. Solvay units returned later in the afternoon Monday to again wet down the area.

The Solvay Fire Department greatly thanks all entities involved with this incident. Units Operating on the scene: Solvay Engine 22, Engine 21, Truck 11, Rescue 11, Squad 12, Squad 21, Fairmount Truck 1, Engine 6, Taunton Ladder 5, Engine 6, Lakeside Engine 3, Engine 4, Onondaga Hill RP 2, Truck 4, Baldwinsville Engine 4, Ladder 2, Camillus Truck 8, Mattydale Engine 2, Syracuse Truck 3, Moyers Corners Rescue 3, North Syracuse Engine 8, Liverpool Engine 3, Truck 2, Howlett Hill Engine 6, East Syracuse Engine 3, Truck 2. Other Agencies operating on scene: Rural/Metro, Geddes PD, Solvay PD, OCSO, E.A.V.E.S. Rehabilitation Unit, Emergency Management, OCWA, Solvay Electric.

Special Thanks to All Companies who stood-by throughout the incident.

Units Standing-by: Amber at Taunton, Lyncourt Engine 1, Marcellus Ladder 33, South Onondaga Engine 6, Clay Engine 31, and Skaneateles.

In total 18 Onondaga County fire departments responded to our aid and we cannot thank everyone enough for your extended efforts.

Other Thanks: Onondaga County 911, Solvay Ladies Auxilliary, Village of Solvay, Tyro Club, and others who helped throughout the incident.