VEHICLE FIRE

758 Putnam Avenue,
Lawrence Township

At 6:37 a.m. on Friday, October 3, 2003, Lawrence Control dispatched volunteers from the Slackwood and Lawrence Road fire companies to a vehicle fire with possible exposure problems in front of 758 Putnam Avenue.

Slackwood Assistant Chief Sean Willever responded at 6:38 a.m., followed one minute later by Slackwood Chief Mark Lenarski. Lawrence Road Assistant Chief Wayne Hannon also responded in his personal vehicle at 6:39 a.m., followed by Chief John Fleming in Car 22 at 6:40 a.m.

Engine 22 also signed on radio at 6:39 a.m., with Lt. Shaun Dlabik in command, Ff. Joseph Dlabik Sr. driving and a crew of Lt. Michael Ratcliffe, Ff. Charles Commini, Ff. Joseph Dlabik Jr., and Junior Ff. Ryan Dlabik.

Engine 21-1 also responded at 6:39 a.m., followed by Engine 21 at 6:44 a.m.

At 6:39 a.m., Lenarski arrived on location and reported that he had a van parked at the curb that was fully-engulfed in flames. There were no immediate exposure problems.

Engine 21-1 then pulled up seconds later and its crew led off with a 1.75-inch hoseline to attack the flames.

Hannon, Fleming and Engine 22 then all arrived about 6:42 a.m.

Engine 22 was ordered to provide tank water to Engine 21-1. While Shaun Dlabik, Ratcliffe, Joseph Dlabik Sr. and Ryan Dlabik stretched 50 feet of hose from Engine 22’s rear hose bed and quickly hooked it up to Engine 21-1, Commini and Joseph Dlabik Jr. stretched a second 1.75-inch hoseline from Engine 21-1 and helped attack the fire. After water supply was established, Shaun Dlabik and Ratcliffe assisted with suppression and overhaul efforts.

The arrival time of Engine 21 was not logged. At 6:50 a.m., Lenarski notified Mercer County Central that the bulk of the fire had been knocked down. Six minutes later, he reported the blaze to be completely extinguished.

At 7:02 a.m., Engine 22 was released from the scene and returned to Station 22 by 7:08 a.m. Slackwood firefighters cleared the scene by 7:13 a.m.