COVER ASSIGNMENT AND STRUCTURE FIRE

Date & Time: Thursday, August 9, 2007 – 11:47 a.m.

Location: 194 Carriage Way, Princeton Township, N.J.

Details: At 11:31 a.m. Mercer County Central transmitted Box 60-30 and dispatched all three stations of the Princeton Fire Department – Princeton Engine Co. #1 (Station 61), Princeton Hook & Ladder Co. (Station 62) and Mercer Engine Co. #3 (Station 63) – for a possible house fire. At 11:36 a.m. Princeton Deputy Chief Truestar Urian arrived to find heavy smoke and then fire showing from the attic over a four-bay garage attached to the two-story carriage house of the estate at 194 Carriage Way. He immediately requested a full first-alarm, which resulted in a “general alarm” for the Princeton Fire Department and the dispatch of an engine from Rocky Hill Fire Co. (Somerset County Station 53) for rapid intervention team duties. At 11:43 a.m. Telesquirt 23 from Lawrenceville Fire Co. and Ladder Tower 44 from West Windsor Township’s Princeton Junction Fire Co. were dispatched to relocate to Station 63 to cover the Princeton area. But at 11:47 a.m. Command 60 special-called an extra engine and Telesquirt 23 was redirected to the fireground. As a result, also at 11:47 a.m., Lawrence Road’s Engine 22 was dispatched to cover Station 63 in place of Telesquirt 23. While Engine 22 was responding to the Witherspoon Street firehouse of Mercer Engine Co. #3, Princeton firefighters were busy attempting an interior attack. However, after part of the roof appeared compromised and because of the heavy fire conditions, Command 60 ordered all personnel to evacuate the building at 11:57 a.m. and switch to a defensive operation. The master stream from Squirt 63 was then put to work. Engine 22 arrived at Station 63 at 12:08 p.m., but at 12:12 p.m. was special-called to the fire scene. (An engine from Montgomery Township was later relocated to Station 63 to take Engine 22’s place). Engine 22 arrived on the fireground at 12:19 p.m., by which time the master stream had been shut down and interior operations resumed. Engine 22’s crew was split into two teams. Capt. Byrd, Ff. Hodgdon and Ff. Kent went to the attic area of the carriage house to attend to hot spots and check for additional fire extension, while Lt. Laird and Ff. Farletta performed ventilation work on Side C of the attached garage attached. The blaze was officially declared under control at 12:54 p.m. Apparatus that operated on scene were: Engine 61, Ladder Tower 62, Squirt 63, Rescue 168 (Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad), Special Services 168 (PFARS), Telesquirt 23, Engine 53, and Rescue 22. Rescue 22 was released from the scene at 1:24 p.m. and was back in quarters in Lawrence Township at 1:35 p.m.

Responding LRFC Personnel

Engine 22

Officer: Capt. Michael Byrd	Driver: Ff. Michael Peterson
Crew: Lt. Richard Laird III	Crew: Ff. Matthew Farletta
Crew: Ff. Steven Hodgdon	Crew: Ff. Keith Kent

All photos copyright (c) 2007 by Lawrence Road Fire Co.