Firefighters battle two-alarm fire on New Year's Day

  
After crews established water supply and confirmed that all the occupants had evacuated the structure crews made an aggressive interior attack on what was first surmised to be a normal attic fire with no fire extension to other divisions.  The incident was quickly upgraded to a second alarm while crews began to fill the necessary tactical assignments. 

Vertical ventilation was initiated but the roof opening did not assist the interior crews with relief when they encountered heavy heat and fire on second floor of the structure and were unable to access the attic area where the fire originated.  Additional attack lines were deployed to help cover exposures and to make an exterior attack from the rear of the structure along with three different attempts to extinguish the fire utilizing an interior attack but they not successful.  Because fire conditions began to compromise the integrity of the roof, all personnel were removed from the structure and a defensive posture was taken with master streams on Engine1, Engine 5 and Ladder 10. 

The defensive tactical decision was a success as it halted the forward progression of the fire. There were no major injuries to occupants or firefighters during this incident.  The fire cause is still under investigation.