Cranston, RI ~ Firefighters arrived to find heavy fire venting out of the 3^rd floor C-D corner windows of this occupied 4 apartment taxpayer style building at the corners of Park Ave and Elmwood Ave around 2130hrs on August 31, 2012. The first floor of the building housed commercial properties. The residents were exiting safely to the streets as companies arrived.

A second alarm was quickly sounded due to the building size and find conditions that were showing. An aggressive interior attack commenced up to the fire floor. Heavy heat and fire was found on the 3^rd floor right side apartment as the members attempted to push in to extinguish the blaze.

The fire was rapidly advancing itself into the flat roofed cockloft of this 60’x150’ structure. Heavy smoke was now pushing from the eaves and top floor windows. The fire began to show itself through the roof over the fire rooms.

The OIC had the fire alarm office sound the evacuation tones to get all members safely outside to the rapidly deteriorating conditions. Ladder pipes, a tower ladder, deck guns, and exterior big lines were put into operation once the PAR check proved all members were safely out on the street.

A third alarm was sounded to bring additional engines to the scene for water supply and manpower. The heavy appliances were shut down about an hour into the fire to allow the firefighters to go back inside to perform extensive overhauling.

Reports that one firefighter was evaluated for heat related issues at a local hospital. The building was slated a complete loss and will be demolished.

Cumberland, RI ~ Stations 1, 2, 4, 5 and Rescue 2 were dispatched to 181 Ann Street in the Valley Falls Section of the town around 1130hrs on July 25, 2012. As companies were turning out, fire alarm notified units that they were receiving numerous calls. A police unit arrived first and confirmed the working fire.

Truck- 1 arrived to find heavy smoke and fire showing from the C-Side of an occupied 1.5sty wdfm dwelling.  They began to stretch attack lines to attempt knock down. Rescue 2’s crew also took and attack line to the rear via side B.  Heavy fire was consuming the rear deck, which was also a carport.

Engine 22 positioned themselves on the A/B corner after laying several hundred feet of LDH feeder into Truck 1.  The homeowners were safely outside as companies arrived.  Engine 22 made their way inside to assist in back up line duty. Engine 41 found heavy fire in the basement as they stretched in from the B/C sides.

Truck 5’s crew made the roof from extension ladders to perform vertical ventilation. Rescue 1 was dispatched to set up the EMS rehabilitation sector. Lincoln Ladder 5 was requested for FAST operations but was quickly put to work to assist in overhauling. Lincoln Engine 4 was then special called for FAST.

Companies rotated out several times due to heat and humidity as temperatures were in the low 90’s. The bulk of the fire was knocked down in 30 minutes after arrival with extensive overhauling to continue for hours. The Rhode Island State Fire Marshal’s Office assisted with origin and cause.

Woonsocket, RI ~ A fire broke out in an 87-unit elderly/section 8 housing apartment complex that was built in 1895 that once served as a private school around 0530am. Woonsocket companies were initially dispatched to the location for a box alarm.

The occupant was reported outside walking his dog prior to the fire breaking out. Engine 3 arrived first due and investigated the panel and then made their way to the zone in alarm. Engine 1 took position at Park Ave and Carrington Street and found heavy fire venting from a ground floor window.

A working fire was sounded bringing the rest of the city's companies. Sprinklers operated in the fire apartment and also 2 hand lines were used to knock the fire down. Thirty occupants had to be evacuated with the rest sheltered in place.

Mutual Aid EMS responded to the scene with out of town companies covering the stations. The fire did have minor extension to the floor above the fire. Heavy smoke damage was also sustained to the building.

North Smithfield, RI ~ A severe thunderstorm rolled through the region and reportedly sparked this blaze at 4 Pine Lane on July 18, 2012. The dwelling was on a dirt common driveway/road with no hydrants in the area.

Engine 2 arrived to find heavy fire through the roof of this 1 and 2 story L-shaped dwelling. Engine 1 arrived and joined Engine 2 in attack. A neighbor reported that the family dog was in the house and in a bedroom.

Two members of the first due companies searched the dwelling under heavy fire conditions and found the dog in a rear bedroom. The dog was unresponsive as the firefighters exited the structure.

Members used their newly acquired dog snout resuscitator and performed 2 minutes of CPR. The dog was revived and transported by EMS to the local animal center.

A second alarm tanker task force was also requested due to the lack of hydrants in this section of the town. 

Warwick, RI ~ On a very humid evening with rain showers in the area callers reported a 3rd floor deck/porch fire in a large condo style building at 940 Quaker Lane on July 15, 2012. Engine 5 arrived to find a fire on porch of building 9 on the 3^rd floor that appeared to be extending inside.

The boss of Engine 5 stated that they were stretching a 2.5” line to attack the fire via the stairwell. The fire had extended into the attic above the apartment. Companies quickly knocked the fire on the exterior down with the big line.

The ceilings on the interior of the apartment had to be opened up to expose the extending fire. An aggressive interior attack kept the damage to the fire apartment and the attic above.

Several special calls were made to get additional apparatus to the scene to relieve the weary brave firefighters. The Special Signal Association’s Canteen 2 was on scene to provide much needed refreshments.

Warwick, RI ~ Several 911 phone calls rang in to the dispatch center reporting that smoke was coming from the rear of the dwelling at 156 Pierce Ave on July 12, 2012. Engine 7 arrived to find heavy smoke pushing 

from the 2.5sty wdfm dwelling. The officer of Engine 7 radioed that they were stretching in an attack line to the second floor from the side B entrance. A kitchen fire was found on the second floor with heavy smoke.

An aggressive interior attack commenced keeping the fire to the area of origin. A back up line was stretched in as a precaution. Ladder 2 used their chainsaw to open up the rear wall from an addition rook on side C to check for extension.The roof was not opened as the fire was quickly knocked down. No injuries were reported and the cause was not determined as of this writing.

Seekonk, MA (Bristol County) ~ A suspicious fire broke out in an abandoned commercial property on Maple Ave around 0445hrs on May 1, 2012. Heavy smoke and fire was showing from the complex as firefighters arrived. The building was the home of the Attleboro Dye Company and has been vacant for years. The property was of mixed construction types; some were brick and timbers while others were concrete block with steel I-beams.

Fire crews set up water supply and then attempted to protect the nearby houses along Central Ave (Route-152). Access around the property was limited to the Maple Ave and Central Ave sides only due to a river and pond along the Charlie/Delta sides. Ladder pipes, deck guns, and several large hand lines played water in the complex for the entire day.

Attleboro, MA, Rehoboth, MA, and Pawtucket, RI assisted the Seekonk Fire Department throughout the inferno. The building was totally destroyed and collapsed into itself hours into the ordeal. Hazardous material runoff was a major concern for the DEM as several 

chemicals were used and stored in the property over the years.

Companies remained on scene overnight wetting down hotspots. The cause is still under investigation. The building’s utilities were terminated prior to the fire, which leads to the suspicion of arson. According to officials, several firefighters suffered minor injuries while fighting the blaze due to the thick, heavy smoke.

Woonsocket, RI ~ A fire alarm sounding early in the morning of April 30, 2012 alerted firefighters to the large tenement dwelling at 1081 Social Street. Engine 2 arrived to find nothing showing from the 3-story wood framed multi occupancy structure. Companies entered the building to investigate the annunciator panel and then made their way to the third floor.

The rest of the box assignment awaited outside as Engine 2 investigated with Tower 2. A decent smoke condition was found on the third floor and this time it didn’t have the “food on the stove” smell. Command was notified that there was a fire in the apartment and a hose line was needed.

The Incident Commander notified the Fire Alarm Office that he had a working fire. Ladder 1, Engine 1

and Rescue 1 were dispatched to fill in the assignment and FAST team duties.  Interior squads found fire in a partition that was extending towards the flat roofed attic. The fire was quickly doused before it made and further destruction to the structure.

Salvage covers were placed in the lower apartments and members also used water vacuums to pick up the standing water in the apa

rtments. One occupant was treated by EMS on scene for an unknown issue. Twelve residents were displaced due the fire.