STATter 911

(This entry will be updated throughout the weekend. Last updated at 9:32 a.m. on Sunday)

Mess on the Anacostia

Tons of coal spilled into DC's Anacostia River Friday afternoon after cars from a CSX train derailed. No one was injured, but there are concerns about the structural stability of the railroad bridge. We have more pictures, raw video and news reports, here.

DCFD in the 70s

Some videos from the STATter 911 archives. The top image is a fire that occurred 29 years ago, yesterday. On November 9, 1978, two separate fires were set at the Lacaze-Gardner School at 710 14th Street, NW. The fires came the same day as a Washington Post article about serious problems at the school. About ten days later a student was charged with arson.

The bottom image is the aftermath of a fire at the Cavalier Apartments at 3500 14th Street, NW. This occurred on September 27, 1972.

Watch the video from both of these fires

DCFEMS in the 00s

A little more current, this fire (above) from the 3200 block of O street, SE occurred during the noon hour on Friday. As you can see in the photo taken by P. Garner, there was a lot of fire on side A when firefighters arrived. A DC Department of Transportation worker, Reginald Arno, had already grabbed the 88-year-old man who lives in the house and brought him safely outside. DC Fire & EMS spokesman Alan Etter said the man had failed to open the flue to his fireplace before starting a fire.

A real exposure problem

In Oakland, CA, firefighters checking an adjacent warehouse during a three-alarm fire on Friday, found material stored that was meant to burn. The firefighters walked into a marijuana growing operation. The fire was apparently stopped before it made it that far. But if it had, this might have been a case when the crews ran out of air, no one would care (but the canteen might have run out of food very quickly).

Deadly NC beach fire brings up soffit debate again

A massive fire in Raleigh in February (see report, here), and the fire that killed the college students in Ocean Isle Beach, involved two different type of structures, but there may have been a common theme. Excerpts from an AP report:

State building code officials won't consider expanding changes to building codes for townhouse soffits unless a report shows it may have been a factor in the beach-house fire that killed seven college students.

The N.C. Building Code Council is reviewing a proposal to modify soffit materials for townhouses, but one state code council member said it's too early to determine whether they will consider similar proposals for standalone homes.

David Smith, chairman of the residential standing committee for the code council, said the modifications to townhouse soffits was in response to a Feb. 22 blaze in north Raleigh.

"It's too early for us to say," Smith said of whether a similar proposal will be considered for construction of new homes. "We're still waiting on an official report from that fire."

Smith said the council's residential committee will undoubtedly review the reports.

"We look at every issue like this," he told The Sun-News of Myrtle Beach, S.C. "It's not something we're not going to look at."

Soffit is the underside of a part of a building, such as an arch or overhang or beam.

No one was killed in the Raleigh fire that destroyed 38 townhouses. Authorities said it was caused by an improperly discarded cigarette that ignited pine needles and raced through the townhomes through the soffit and into the attic.

An International Code Council official said he had received word that the Ocean Isle Beach fire also began outside and raced through the soffit and into the attic.

A view from above of another fire in Toronto

Before I went to sleep this morning, the pager reported a 4-alarm fire at a construction site in Toronto. The video above is apparently that fire, as viewed from the 13th floor of a neighboring high rise. FireGeezer has details about this latest suspicious fire in Toronto.

Arson in DE

The photo above is from the Dagsboro VFD of a restaurant fire on Route 113 in Frankford early Saturday morning. Details from delmarvanow.com:

The Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating an early morning structure fire on the 34000 block of DuPont Boulevard.

The Frankford Fire Department responded to the scene at about 2:58 a.m. and was assisted by Dagsboro, and Selbyville Fire Departments. Upon arrival they encountered fire showing from the south side of the structure.

The structure, is owned by Eastside Developers, of Millsboro, the business, Mi Laurita is operated by Benigno Morales, of Georgetown.

Delaware State Fire Marshal Investigators have determined the fire was intentional started in the dining portion of the structure. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office at 302-856-5600.

How many DC firefighters does it take to rescue a light bulb changer?

The answer is in DC Fire & EMS PIO Alan Etter's video from Thursday. The image above is from St. Paul's Episcopal Church where a lift almost came crashing down. Check out the video on DCFD.com.

Another standoff ends in fire

Click the image above to see a short video as a ten-hour standoff ends in Douglas County, KS. A house and barn burned as a man was taken into custody by police. Details, here.

Rescue me

Having police officers and firefighters around can be handy in a pinch. You probably heard the story the other day about the off-duty cop and her volunteer fire chief husband rescuing a woman whose car was on the LIRR tracks in Mineola, NY. The video from that event is above.

Fire truck wreck in Philadelphia

One person is reported injured in the wreck above on Friday evening in the Nicetown section of Philadelphia. Some details, here.

Mayday for the soul

The headline above isn't meant to be cute. Two interesting looks at how and when firefighters should ask for help. One is an article in VAFireNews.com from Roanoke Fire-EMS Department Captain Willie Wines Jr. His department recently dealt with the suicide of a young captain. The other is Dr. Burton Clark's recent podcast on Firehouse.com.

Send help, or else

In Portsmouth, VA, not the way for a council member to win friends and influence people. This one isn't a fire or EMS story, but it is 911 he called to get police for his daughter's car crash. The 911 audio is with the link.

# posted by Dave Statter @ 9:32 AM