Residential House Fire N. 25th Street

Incident Date: 5/18/2011
Issuing Officer: Jolene Davis
Incident Location: 3718 N. 25th Street
Incident Type:  Residential Structure Fire

Narrative:  At 6:46 a.m. seven companies of Tacoma Firefighters were dispatched to a reported residential house fire.

The first arriving engine company found smoke pouring from the front door of the 816 square foot 1&1/2 story residence.  Crews attacked the fire with hand lines, conducted primary search and rescue and ventilated the smoke from the structure.    All of the occupants escaped safely, there were no injuries to report and the Red Cross is providing assistance for the 3 people displaced by the fire.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

UPDATE:  The cause of the fire was an unattended candle, resulting in an estimated $60,000 damage to the building and its contents.

Crane Rescue Training at the Port of Tacoma

Training Dates:  May 12 & 13
Issuing Officer:  Faith Mueller
Training Location:  1815 Port of Tacoma Road
Training Type:  High Angle Crane Rescue

Narrative:  Members of the Tacoma Fire Department technical rescue team spent the past two days training for high angle rescues at the Washington United Terminal (WUT) in the Port of Tacoma.  The crews simulated the rescues on the 300 foot panawax gantry cranes located on the Blair Waterway. 

The TFD crews coordinated their efforts with the ILWU Local 23, longshoremen union. 

The crew practiced multiple rotations of high angle rope rescue systems, belay systems, tag lines, anchor systems and patient pickoff rescues. 

Equipment Fire S. 28th Street

Incident Date: 5/4/2011
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 909 S. 28th Street
Incident Type: Commercial Structure Fire

Narrative: At 12:18 a.m. ten companies of Tacoma Firefighters (five engines, two ladders, two medic companies, and command staff) responded to reported commercial structure fire.

First arriving companies found a piece of manufacturing equipment used in the sign making business fully involved in flames. An aggressive interior attack quickly extinguished the fire and there were no injuries to report.

The cause of the fire was a mechanical failure of a piece of manufacturing equipment. The fire resulted in an estimated $102,000 damage to the building and its contents.



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Early Morning Garage Fire on East "E" Street

Incident Date: 5/3/2011
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 4515 East "E" Street
Incident Type: Garage Fire

Narrative:  At 12:01 a.m. seven companies of Tacoma Firefighters (four engines, one ladder, one medic company and command staff) responded to a reported residential garage fire.

The first arriving company found heavy smoke and flames shooting from the 720 square foot detached garage.  Given the structural instability of the exterior walls a defensive tactical approach was deployed shortly after crews arrived.  The neighboring structures were protected from exposure to the fire while it was extinguished and there were no injuries to report.

The fire was caused by electrical arching from a malfunctioning florescent light, resulting in an estimated $105,000 dollars in damage to the building and it's contents.   

House Fire on South 9th Street

Incident Date: 4/28/2011
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 1716 S. 9th Street
Incident Type: Residential Structure Fire

Narrative: At 12:35 p.m. seven companies of Tacoma Firefighters (four engines, one ladder, one medic company, and command staff) responded to a reported residential structure fire.

First arriving companies found heavy smoke and flames showing from the 2nd floor of the two story 1,932 square foot house.  Initial reports were that one occupant was trapped in the house, but primary and secondary search and rescue revealed no one was home at the time of the fire.  Firefighters battled the fire with hand lines and the ladder companies crew completed vertical ventilation techniques to address the heavy fire in the attic area.

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

UPDATE: Investigators have determined that the cause of the fire was an unattended cigarette, resulting in $20,500 damage to the building and its contents.   

Entry Level Firefighter Exam

Over the past two days, candidates for entry level firefighter positions have been hard at work completing the written test phase of the application process.  Designed to establish an eligibility list, the written exam is only one part in a series of steps taken to join the ranks of TFD.  Nearly 3,000 applications were received, and most attended one of 4 testing sessions held at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall.  This eligibility list will be used to fill TFD's vacant positions for the next couple of years. However, it is not yet been determined when the next recruit class will be hired.

"We are always looking for ambitious, energetic and diverse candidates to strengthen our department," said Assistant Chief Jolene Davis.   

Hazardous Material Spill - Port of Tacoma

Incident Date: 4/26/2011
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 1815 Port of Tacoma Road
Incident Type: Hazardous Material Spill

Narrative:  At 3:51 a.m. five companies of Tacoma Firefighters (1 engine, 1 ladder, 1 medic unit, haz-mat 44 and command staff) were dispatched to a reported hazardous materials spill on a cargo ship in the Port of Tacoma.

First arriving companies were informed by employees that a small quantity of a highly flammable liquid - Chlorobenzotruiflouride (an ink solvent used in the printing industry) had spilled in a container on the terminal dock and in the hull area of the "Hyundai Oakland" cargo ship moored at the Washington United Terminal.

Tactically, the ships crews were sheltered in place for precautionary measures, the Haz-mat team investigated the scope of the spill and monitored the atmosphere for fume/explosion hazards, and the businesses contracted technical clean up crew was called in to conduct the clean up of the spill.

Two employees that were initially exposed to the spill were evaluated by paramedics and released at the scene.  There were no injuries to report.