Situation Update - Bradken-Atlas Foundry Fire

10AM: Tacoma firefighters remain on the scene of the fire at the foundry. At approximately 6:15 p.m. last night employees reported hearing a loud crack from above and saw one of the roof truss members had split. They began to evacuate the area when suddenly a portion of the roof collapsed into a "pit" area where excess metal is poured into sand to cool. The molten metal quickly ignited the roofing materials causing a large fire within the expansive fabrication facility. The fire has been contained to the original collapse zone, approximately a 50 x 50 area.  

Given the additional collapse danger of the structure, a defensive operational strategy was implemented. Overnight, crews monitored the fire and controlled flair ups as the roofing material continued to burn itself down and the slag material cooled. The fire is under control, but hot spots remain in the debris pile. Heavy equipment will be brought in to remove the debris pile so crews can extinguish the remaining hot spots.

The cause of the roof collapse continues to be under investigation.

Roof collapse ignites commercial structure fire in a foundry manufacturing facility

Incident Date:  7/25/13
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location:  3021 S. Wilkeson St. 
Incident Type:  Commercial Structure Fire

Narrative:  At 6:15 p.m. firefighters and command staff from stations 1,2,4,8,10, and 17 responded to a reported commercial structure fire.

The first arriving company found an approximately 50 x 50 fire burning in a section of a large commercial manufacturing building. Command staff quickly called for a second alarm bringing additional resources from stations 9,11,12,and 13.  In all over, 40 fire personnel responded to the scene.  

For an undetermined reason, a portion of the roof above a molten metal castings operation collapsed onto the hot material and caught fire. All employees were able to escape without harm, and are safely accounted for.

Given the structural instability of the building, crews have mounted a defensive strategy on the fire. The current operational plan is to allow the collapsed roofing material to burn off and to allow the molten metal to cool down before final extinguishment.  It expected to take several hours before the fire is fully extinguished.

Fire Incident for July 24, 2013

Time:  11:58 a.m.
Address:  6606 S. Prospect St.
Response:  Station 7
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters responded to a prohibited outdoor burn.

Time:  12:18 p.m.
Address:  7914 S. 12th St.
Response:  Station 16
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a smoldering stump fire. The fire was likely caused by an occupant burning weeds.

Time:  12:20 p.m.
Address:  1412 S. 56th St.
Response:  Station 2,7,8,19,11,15
Damage Estimate:  $25,000
Narrative:  Firefighters responded to a house fire. See original post.

Time:  1:18 p.m.
Address:  8118 Portland Ave E. CP
Response:  Station 10
Damage Estimate:  undetermined
Narrative:  Firefighters assisted Central Pierce Fire and Rescue extinguish a detached garage and grass fire.

Time:  6:45 p.m.
Address:  6th Ave/S. Pearl St.
Response:  Station 16
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a small brush fire.

Time:  9:49 p.m.
Address:  1007 Daniels Dr.
Response:  Station 17
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters responded a prohibited outdoor burn.

House fire on South 56th Street displaces 4

Incident Date:  7/23/13

Issuing Officer:  Joe Meinecke

Incident Location:  1412 S. 56th St.

Incident Type:  Residential House Fire

Narrative:  At 12:20 p.m. firefighters from stations 2,7,8,10,11, and 15 responded to a reported house fire.

The first arriving company found flames and smoke showing from the second floor of the 1.5 story 1,566 square foot residence. Crews attacked the fire with handlines, completed a search to confirm no one was trapped inside and ventilated the smoke. There were no injuries to report and the Red Cross was requested to provide relocation assistance for two adults and two children displaced in the fire. 

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

UPDATE:  A fire investigator concluded that the fire started in a second floor bedroom and its cause was undetermined. They also found that there were no working smoke alarms in the residence. The fire resulted in an estimated $25,000 damage to the building and its contents.

   

Safe and Health Family Fair is this Saturday!

Join us at the Tacoma Mall this Saturday, July 27 from 10AM -5PM for the Safe and Health Family Fair. There will be vendors, short seminars and lots of free handouts focused on family safety, health and emergency management.

For additional details including a list of exhibitors and a schedule of main stage presenters visit the Safe and Family Fair website. See you there!

Fire Incidents for July 23, 2013

Time:  10:12 a.m.
Address:  1402 Lincoln Ave.
Response:  Station 8
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a small smoldering brush fire.

Time:  1:26 p.m.
Address:  3110 S. Cedar St.
Response:  Station 9
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a small bark fire.

Time:  2:07 p.m.
Address:  5416 S. "M" St.
Response:  Station 1,2,4,7,8,10,11
Damage Estimate:  $6,500
Narrative:  Firefighters responded to a reported kitchen fire in an apartment.  See original post.

Accidental kitchen fire displaces one occupant on S."M" Street

Incident Date:  7/23/13
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 5416 S. "M" St.
Incident Type:  Apartment Fire

Narrative:  At 2:07 p.m. firefighters from station 1,2,4,7,8,10, and 11 responded to a reported apartment fire.

The first arriving engine company found smoke showing from an apartment on the second floor of the 12,672 square foot two-story building.

Crews attacked the fire with handlines, completed a search to confirm no one was inside the apartment and ventilated the smoke. One occupant was evaluated and released by paramedics at the scene. The Red Cross was called to provide relocation assistance to one adult and three cats displaced by the fire.

The cause of the fire was the accidental ignition of combustibles on a stove-top burner. The fire resulted in and estimated $6,500 dollars damage to the apartment and its contents.

 

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Fire Incidents for June 22, 2013

Time:  12:22 a.m.
Address:  S. 64th St/ S. Stevens St.
Response:  Station 7
Damage Estimate:  $10,100
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a fully involved car fire with limited exposure damage to a nearby cedar fence. The fire appeared to be intentionally set and the Tacoma Police Department was on-scene for follow-up.

Time:  5:41 a.m.
Address:  3202 S. Mason Ave.
Response:  Station 17
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a small smoldering bark fire.

Time:  10:14 a.m.
Address:  4214 S. 62nd St.
Response:  Station 10
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a 4 x 4 smoldering bark fire.

Time:  2:13 p.m.
Address:  5420 S. Wapato St.
Response:  Station 7
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a pile of garbage that was on fire. The cause was undetermined.

Time:  6:39 p.m.
Address:  S. 84th St./Pacific Ave.
Response:  Station 10
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a small fire at the base of a power pole.

Time:  7:52 p.m.
Address:  4841 Pacific Ave.
Response:  Station 1,2,7,8,10,11,15
Damage Estimate:  $4,650
Narrative:  Firefighters responded to a reported kitchen fire. The first arriving engine company reported light smoke showing from the apartment. An unattended pan of oil caught fire and spread fire to the upper cabinets. Occupants knocked the fire down prior to our arrival, crews checked for fire extension, ventilated the apartment, and disconnected the stove. There were no injuries to report.

Time:  9:09 p.m.
Address:  4608 N. 26th St.
Response:  Station 16
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters responded to a prohibited outdoor burn.

Fire Incidents for July 19-21, 2013

Date:  7/19/13
Time:  4:30 a.m.
Address:  6922 S. Tyler St.
Response:  Station 7
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a smoldering unattended fire in a fire pit.

Date:  7/19/13
Time:  1:10 p.m.
Address:  6026 S. Lawrence St.
Response:  Station 10
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a 40 x 40 grass fire in the backyard of a residence.

Date:  7/19/13
Time:  3:40 p.m.
Address:  4502 S. Steele St.
Response:  Station 8
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a small fire in a planter box.

Date:  7/19/13
Time:  5:11 p.m.
Address:  222 N. "I" St.
Response:  Station 1
Damage Estimate:  $269
Narrative:  Firefighters responded to fire alarm activation. Upon arrival found that an occupant had accidentally left combustibles on the stove with the burner on. Fire was put out prior to our arrival.

Date:  7/19/13
Time:  6:18 p.m.
Address:  1314 Market St.
Response:  Station 1,2,4
Damage Estimate:  $275
Narrative:  Firefighters responded to a reported apartment fire. Upon arrival they found smoke in an apartment and hallway caused by a pan of food accidentally left on the stove.  Crews ventilated the smoke and confirmed there was no fire extension.

Date:  7/19/13
Time:  6:34 p.m.
Address:  6830 Tacoma Mall Blvd.
Response:  Station 8
Damage Estimate:  $1,400
Narrative:  Firefighters responded to a reported kitchen fire. Occupant was cooking with grease and when they put food in the pan it spilled out and caught fire. Tenant used a dry chemical fire extinguisher to put the fire out. Firefighters confirmed that the fire had not extended and ventilated the smoke.

Date:  7/19/13
Time:  9:14 p.m.
Address:  3427 Ruston Way
Response:  Station 14
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a small smoldering fire in a rockery caused by someone dumping the remainder of their charcoal briquettes.

Date:  7/19/13
Time:  11:04 p.m.
Address:  3612 E. Roosevelt Ave.
Response:  Station 11
Damage Estimate:  undetermined
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a fire in the engine compartment of a motor cycle.

Date:  7/20/13
Time:  2:02 a.m.
Address:  2614 S. Melrose St.
Response:  Station 4
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters responded to a prohibited outdoor burn.

Date:  7/20/13
Time:  12:29 a.m.
Address:  3333 N. Visscher St.
Response:  Station 9,14,16
Damage Estimate:  $2,000
Narrative:  Firefighters responded a reported kitchen fire. Grease caught fire and was extinguished prior to our arrival. Crews confirmed there was no fire extension and ventilated the structure.

Date:  7/20/13
Time:  12:41 p.m.
Address:  6007 E. Portland Ave.
Response:  Station 11
Damage Estimate:  $500
Narrative:  Firefighters responded to a fire in the engine compartment of a car.

Date:  7/20/13
Time:  1:29 p.m.
Address:  1933 Commerce St.
Response:  Station 2
Damage Estimate:  undetermined
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a small fire in the plastic liner of a storm drain.

Date:  7/20/13
Time:  6:29 p.m.
Address:  8607 S. Hosmer St.
Response:  Station 8,10
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters responded to a fire in an large arborvitae tree next to a business. Crews confirmed that the fire had not spread inside the eaves of the attic.

Date:  7/20/13
Time:  11:06 p.m.
Address:  4802 S. Gove St.
Response:  Station 7
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters responded to a small fire in a driveway that was extinguished prior to our arrival.

Date:  7/20/13
Time:  11:08 p.m.
Address:  3105 S. 47th St.
Response:  Station 1,2,8,9,10,11,17
Damage Estimate:  $4,650
Narrative:  Firefighters responded to a reported deck fire in an apartment building. Upon arrival they found a small amount of fire on an exterior deck of the three story building. An occupant had knocked the fire down with a dry chemical fire extinguisher prior to our arrival. Crews extinguished the remaining fire and confirmed it had not spread into the structure. The cause of the fire was undetermined.

Date:  7/21/13
Time:  11:37 a.m.
Address:  2850 Ruston Way
Response:  Station 14
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a small smoldering bark fire.

Date:  7/21/13
Time:  11:46 a.m.
Address:  7600 S. Montgomery St.
Response:  Station 7
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a series of grass fire along a trail. The fires appeared to be intentionally set.

Date:  7/21/13
Time:  12:51 p.m.
Address:  E. 18th St./E. "D" St.
Response:  Station 2
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a small smoldering bark fire.

Date:  7/21/13
Time:  4:15 p.m.
Address:   S. 78th St./S. Pine St.
Response:  Station 7
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a series of grass fires along a trail.  The crew extinguished the fires and notified Tacoma Police Department for follow-up.

Date:  7/21/13
Time:  7:14 p.m.
Address:  1425 E. 27th St.  
Response:  Station 11
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a small bark fire.

Date:  7/21/13
Time:  8:11 p.m.
Address:  1507 S. 92nd St.  
Response:  Station 10
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters responded to a reported couch fire. Upon arrival the found a fire in a couch that was in the yard had spread to a nearby tree and had been extinguished by occupant.

Date:  7/21/13
Time:  8:41 p.m.
Address:  1332 Norpoint Way  
Response:  Station 12
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters responded to a prohibited outdoor burn.

Date:  7/21/13
Time:  9:58 p.m.
Address: 1601 S. Woodlawn St.  
Response:  Station 17
Damage Estimate:  none
Narrative:  Firefighters responded to a prohibited outdoor burn.

Date:  7/21/13
Time:  10:16 p.m.
Address:  E. 40th St./McKinley Ave.  
Response:  Station 11
Damage Estimate:  $2,500
Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a fire in the engine compartment of a motor vehicle (car).