House Fire on South "L" Street Displaces 4 Occupants

Incident Date: 6/22/2011
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 2551 South "L" Street
Incident Type: Residential Structure Fire

Narrative: At 8:23 p.m. Tacoma Firefighters responded to a reported house fire.  First arriving companies found flames and heavy smoke showing from both floors of the two story wood framed 2,100 square foot single family home.  Crews extinguished the fire with hand lines and completed primary and secondary search and rescue. 

The occupants were alerted to the fire by smoke alarms, and were able to evacuate without injury.  "Thankfully, the working smoke alarms activated in this situation, because given the heavy volume of smoke and fire, this could have easily been a tragic outcome" said Battalion Chief Jolene Davis.

The cause of the fire was unattended cooking, resulting in an estimated $75,000 dollars damage to the building and $25,000 dollars to it's contents.

 

Hazardous Conditons Call At Senator Murray's Satellite Office

Incident Date: June 16, 2011
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 950 Pacific Ave 
Incident Type: Hazardous Conditions Call

Narrative: At 12:17 p.m, four companies of Tacoma Firefighters (1 engine, 1 ladder, Haz-Mat, and command staff) responded to a report of a suspicious package at U.S. Senator Patty Murray's Tacoma satellite office.

After evacuating the office, standard testing for hazardous materials including biological, radiological and chemical substances were conducted by the haz-mat team.  The field test results were negative and the scene was turned over to law enforcement and the U.S. postal service for follow-up. 

There were no injuries to report.

 

Mattress Fire on East "F" Street

Incident Date: 6/15/2011
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 3725 East "F" Street
Incident Type: Residential Structure Fire

Narrative: At 8:02 a.m. eight companies of Tacoma Firefighters (4 engines, 1 ladder, 2 medic companies and command staff) responded to a reported residential structure fire.

Crews arrived to find moderate smoke showing from a second floor bedroom of the two story 3,256 square foot "Clean and Sober Living" house.  A rapid interior attack extinguished a mattress fire, and primary search and rescue revealed that all of the occupants were alerted to the fire by the buildings smoke alarm system and escaped safely.

The cause of the fire was unattended cigarette and resulted in an estimated $11,000 damage to the building and its contents.

Tacoma Fire Department Welcomes New Recruits

Family and friends gathered for a cheerful graduation ceremony today, as the Tacoma Fire Department welcomed 21 new firefighters to their ranks this afternoon.  The graduates completed 13 weeks of intensive preparation, and have been diligently training to respond to hazardous materials incidents, vehicle extrication operations, confined space rescue, fire suppression, and emergency medical incidents.  

Successfully completing the classroom, hands on and competency based testing allows these recruits to graduate to probationary firefighter status and they will continue to demonstrate their skills over the next 9 months at which time they will achieve firefighter in full standing.  On behalf of the citizen's we serve and Tacoma Fire Department, welcome and congratulation's recruits!

    

    

Garage Fire 12th Street East

Incident Date: June 9, 2011
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 6408 12th Street East
Incident Type: Garage Fire

Narrative:  At 9:09 a.m. seven companies of firefighters were dispatched to a report of a residential structure fire.

The first arriving company (Engine 12) found a heavily involved 442 square foot detached garage fire with exposure to a vacant house.  Tactically, crews took a defensive strategy, as the garage structure was too compromised to safely enter and they prevented the nearby vacant house from catching fire.

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

    

Car into Building on S. 38th Street

Incident Date: May 31, 2011
Issuing Officer:  Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 2921 S. 38th Street
Incident Type: MVA

Narrative:  At 10:54 a.m. Tacoma Firefighters were dispatched for a reported car crashed into a building.

Companies arrived to find that the driver of a sedan had "jumped" the curb and crashed through a windowed display wall into a retail sewing and vacuum cleaner business.  Crews secured the scene, safely removed the uninjured driver and assessed the building for damages.  None of the patrons or stores employees were injured in the incident.

   

Two Injured in House Fire on Puget Sound Avenue

Incident Date: May 30, 2011
Issuing Officer: Jolene Davis
Incident Location:  911 S. Puget Sound Ave
Incident Type: Residential Structure Fire

Narrative:  At 11:52 p.m., Tacoma firefighters responded to a reported residential house fire.

The first arriving engine company found smoke showing from the first floor of the one & one/half story 2,180 square foot house.  Crews extinguished the fire with hand lines and primary search and rescue revealed two occupants were trapped inside the house.  Both occupants were transported to local area hospitals.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

UPDATE:  The fire is considered accidental, and it's cause was a portable heater igniting combustible materials - resulting in $35,000 dollars damage to the building and it's contents.