Station 44 Video

Member's E-mail

New Homes Consumed by Fire

Springfield Fire Company was dispatched early Saturday morning, December 9th at 04:15 hours for a reported Structure Fire on the property of the old Wright's Complex (Baltimore Pike and Bishop Avenue).  First arriving units from the Springfield Police Department confirmed a major working fire in one of the unfinished homes in the new Barclay Circle complex.  Police officers worked quickly before fire units arrived to make sure that no residents were inside the occupied homes.  The fire was quickly spreading to the two homes on either side of the original fire building.

Chief 44-9 arrived on the scene and established Springfield Command.  Engine 44-1 laid a 5" Supply Line from the hydrant at Baltimore Pike and Bishop Avenue into the fire scene.   Crews started a defensive attack with the Master Stream Deck Gun on Engine 44-1, directing it on the large volume of fire from the original fire building and used two - 1 3/4" handlines to attack the rapidly advancing fire in the two exposure residences.  Tower 44 set-up for Master Stream Operations, and Engine 44-2 worked to established a second water supply.

Springfield Command had quickly issued a second alarm which dispatched Clifton Heights Fire Company (Company 03) and the Air Bank from Bon Air Fire Company (Company 58). Primos-Secane Westbrook Park Fire Company (Company 74) was called in to assist on the second alarm. 

Tower 44 and Quint 03 set-up Master Stream Operations on Barclay Circle and Tower 74 set-up in the Wright's Property driveway directly behind the fire scene and assisted with Master Stream Operations.  Engine 03-2 assisted with the secondary water supply on Bishop Avenue.  Once the fire was contained, crews performed extensive overhaul of all the structures and the last units cleared the scene around 10:00 hours.

Both of the exposure dwellings were occupied by the property owner's within the last week.  The original fire building was still under construction, which contributed to the rapid fire spread.  Both exposure dwellings were sprinklered residences in the occupied areas of the residence.  Even though there was extensive damage to the properties, no civilians or firefighters were injuried during the incident.

The fire is currently under investigation by Springfield Township Fire Marshal's Office, Springfield Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police.  The investigators were also assisted by the Philadelphia Fire Department Fire Marshal's Office with their Arson Dog.  Anyone with information on the fire is asked to contact Lt. Clark or Lt. Gallagher of the Springfield Police Department, (610) 544-1100.

Units operating at the scene were:  Engine 44-1, Tower 44, Engine 44-4, Rescue 44, Ambulance 44-7, Quint 03, Engine 03-2, Air Bank 58, Medic 106, Medic 103-7B, Tower 74, Engine 74-2 and the Canteen 60-8 (Friendship Fire Company).

Media Fire Company (Company 23) and Rose Tree Fire Company (Company 73) provided Standby Coverage at Station 44 during the incident.