Fire Incidents 1/31/13

Time: 1:26 p.m.

Address: 2601 S. Melrose Street

Response: Station 4

Damage Estimate: None

Narrative: Prohibited burning of building materials.  


Time: 4:35 p.m.

Address: 204 Tacoma Ave S.

Response: Stations 1,2,& 4

Damage Estimate: $200

Narrative: Unattended cooking resulted in a pan on the stove fire.  Light smoke throughout apartment and no fire extension.  

Fire Incidents 1/30/13

Time: 9:56 a.m.

Address: 1425 Rainier Dr, Fircrest

Response: Stations 1,2,3,7,9,13,16 &17

Damage Estimate: $99,000

Narrative: Firefighters responded to an apartment fire.  Fire investigators determined that a cardboard box left on the kitchen stove by new tenants that were moving in ignited when power to the unit was re-activated earlier that morning.  The fire resulted in an estimated $96,000 damage to the apartment of origin, with $3,000 of smoke and water damage to the two adjacent units. See original post. 

Time: 7:11 p.m.

Address: 1314 S. 36th Street

Response: Stations 1,2,4,8,11

Damage Estimate: $1,860

Narrative: Firefighters extinguished a suspicious fire that was started on the exterior of a single family residence.  One occupant escaped without harm, and the incident was referred to the Tacoma Police Department for follow-up. 

Fire department deployment modifications set for first week of February

Chief Duggan

With the reopening of the Murray Morgan Bridge for traffic, Fire Chief Jim Duggan is announcing service deployment changes, effective the first week of February.

Station 6, located at 1015 E. F St. will close, reducing the number of active fire stations from 16 to 15. The station closure also reduces the number of frontline fire engine (pumper) companies from 14 to 13. (During the 2011-12 biennium, the Tacoma Fire Department staffed 16 frontline fire engine companies.)

On-duty frontline staffing will decrease to 69 personnel from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and to 67 personnel from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. (During the 2011-12 biennium, frontline staffing was 74 personnel, 24 hours per day.)

Station 13, located at 3825 N. 25^th St., will return to 24-hour staffing for EMS and ladder company service. Fire engine (pumper) service for the Proctor neighborhood will continue to be provided from Station 14 and Station 9, both located within a four-minute travel time from Station 13, however, Ladder 3 will move from Station 9 to Station 13. 

Chief Duggan explained that, “As an existing efficiency, ladder company firefighters are certified emergency medical technicians and perform the same role as engine (pumper) company firefighters for medical emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes. Moving Ladder 3 to Station 13 will provide two benefits.  First, it improves EMS coverage in high-demand areas along North Pearl Street, and, second, it increases Engine 9’s availability to provide backup coverage for Engine 16 to the west, and Engine 4 and Engine 1 to the east.  The backup coverage to the east has become more important with the closure of Station 6. It is important for the public to know that no single fire station in our system houses all the equipment and firefighters required to suppress even a one-room house fire. Crews from at least five stations converge on a typical fire scene.”

Along with Ladder 3, Station 13 will continue to house the 12-hour Squad 13. Station 9, located at 6^th Avenue, will house Engine 9, Battalion 1, and a turnkey reserve fire engine.

In response to the Tacoma Fire Department’s efforts to mitigate the impact of services reductions, Council Member Anders Ibsen stated, “This is great news for the city and for Council District 1. It’s a true testament to the dedication and creativity of our firefighters.”

Newly appointed District 2 Council Member Robert Thoms also added, “Fire and emergency preparedness is of the utmost importance to the North End. This is a victory for safety.”

The Fire Department Cares Program will launch, providing Tacoma Fire Department personnel with a referral mechanism for people who repeatedly call 911 for health conditions that are not medical emergencies, or for assistance with daily living tasks.

Fireboat Destiny will move from the Thea Foss waterway to the Tacoma Yacht Club until moorage is available at the former Station 5 on Ruston Way, anticipated in late spring 2014.  Personnel from Station 14, located at 4701 N. 41^st St., will cross-staff the fireboat.

Two uniformed personnel assigned to the Training Center will provide additional Port-area EMS response during business hours.  The Tacoma Fire Department training center is located on Marshall Avenue in the heart of the Port area. When available, the 40-hour-per-week training captain and 40-hour-per-week training paramedic will be the first arriving responders to emergency incidents that occur within a four-minute travel time of the Training Center.

Apartment Fire at 14th & Emerson Street in Fircrest

Incident Date: 1/30/13
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 1425 Rainier Drive, Fircrest
Incident Type: Apartment Fire

Narrative:  At 9:56 a.m. firefighters from stations 1,2,4,7,9,13,16,& 17 responded to a reported apartment fire.

The first arriving engine company reported heavy flames and smoke showing from a second floor apartment in the 4 unit multi-family building.  Crews mounted an aggressive interior attack in the vacant unit, contained the fire, and found no occupants inside.  The fire temporarily displaced five tenants from two of the neighboring apartments.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, and there were no injuries to report.

UPDATE:  Fire investigators determined that a cardboard box left on the kitchen stove by new tenants that were moving in ignited when the power to the unit was re-activated this morning.  The fire resulted in an estimated $96,000 damage to the apartment of origin, with $3,000 of smoke and water damage to the two adjacent units.

  

  

Fire Incidents 1/29/13

Time: 11:23 a.m.

Address: 4114 S. "M" Street 

Response: Station 8

Damage Estimate: $2,500 

Narrative:  Crews extinguished a fully involved fire in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle (car) that was spreading to a second vehicle.   

Time: 11:44 a.m.

Address: S. 35th & Union Ave 

Response: Station 13

Damage Estimate: $300

Narrative:  Firefighters used a CO2 extinguisher to put out a brake fire on a motor vehicle (tractor-trailer). 

Time: 1:18 p.m.

Address: 4827 S. "J" Street

Response: Station 1,2,8,9,10,15,&17

Damage Estimate: $103,000

Narrative:  Suspicious fire in a vacant house.  See original post.

Vacant house on 48th & "J" street sustains heavy fire damage

Incident Date: 1/29/13
Issuing Officers: BC Jim Zuluaga & PIO Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 4827 S. "J" Street
Incident Type: Residential Structure Fire

Narrative:  At 1:19 p.m., 10 companies of Tacoma Firefighters from stations 1,2,8,9,10,15,&17 responded to a reported residential house fire.

The first arriving company reported significant fire showing from both the front and back of the 1 1/2 story approximately 1,000 square foot house. Operationally, crews mounted an aggressive interior attack on the well-entrenched fire, protected nearby exposures from fire damage, searched the home, and ventilated the structure.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation and there were no injuries to report.

UPDATE:  Fire investigators have determined that the cause of the fire appears suspicious, and have referred the case to the Tacoma Police Department Arson Investigation Unit for follow-up.  Damage estimates are $103,000 to the building and its contents. 

 

Fire Incidents 1/26 & 27/2013

Date: 1/26/13
Time: 1:31 p.m.

Address: 2501 N. Lawrence St. 

Response: Station 14

Damage Estimate: None 

Narrative: Prohibited outdoor fire. 

Date: 1/26/13
Time: 5:12 p.m.

Address: 711 S. 57th St. 

Response: Station 2,7,8,9,10,11,17

Damage Estimate: $138,000

Narrative: Firefighters responded to a reported residential house fire.  The first arriving company found heavy flames and smoke showing from the front of the house.  Crews attacked the fire that had spread from the porch and extended through the roof, completed vertical ventilation, and conducted search and rescue.  A fire investigator has determined that the cause of the fire appears suspicious, and has referred the case to the Tacoma Police Department Arson Investigation Unit for follow-up.  There were no injuries to report.

Date: 1/26/13

Time: 7:37 p.m. 

Address: 1624 S. Verde St

Response: Station 9

Damage Estimate: None

Narrative: Prohibited burning of yard waste.