02:58 hrs: Members of BUFD, along with Quint6, Tanker 6 (Monarch), Tanker 23 (Gibraltar), Rescue 25 (Exeter Twp) for RIT, and Medic 680 Stations 1 & 3 (Southern Berks EMS) were alerted to the area of East Main Street and George Street, Union Township for a possible structure fire with entrapment. Assistant 7 (M. Hernandez) arrived within five minutes reporting heavy fire showing at the intersection of E. Main and Union Streets. Engine 7 (S. Kulp) arrived and deployed handlines and began fire suppression. Quint 6 and Tower 7 (C. Bickings) arrived together. Quint 6's began ventilating the structure while Tower 7's crew began interior search. Rescue 25 arrived and setup a staging area for their Rapid Intervention Team. Tanker 23 and Tanker 6 provided water supply to Engine 7 and Quint 6.
A second alarm was called which added Engine 25, Rescue-Engine 25, & Tower 25 (Exeter Twp), Tanker 24 (Geigertown), and Rescue 1 (Mt. Penn) for RIT. Additional tankers were also called for additional water supply.
Engine 7's crew made a quick knock of the main fire room, but the fire had already spread to the attic space. Due to this, interior crews needed to evacuate the building due to the fire rapidly increasing. Exterior hoselines were used to extinguish the bulk of the fire in the attic, after which, crews re-entered the structure and extinguish the remaining fire.
Luckily there were no civilian or firefighter injuries reported. There were, however, numerous household pets that perished in the fire.
Crews remained onscene until 08:00 hrs extinguishing hot spots.
The fire remains under investigation of the PA State Police Fire Marshall's Office.
Thank you to Engine 49-1 (Amity) and Chester County Tower 64 (NORCO) for manning our station for the duration of the incident.
