Chester County fireboard alerted Avondale, West Grove, and Hockessin fire companies for a house fire with possible entrapment, at approximately 9:49 AM on April 25th. The fire was reported at 140 Starr Road in New Garden Township. Initial report was an apartment building with fire in one of the eight apartments. Residents also reported possibility of a mother and daughter trapped in a second floor apartment. Avondale and Hockessin fire crews arrived on scene and initiated a search of the second floor with no victims found while encountering high heat and heavy smoke conditions. (more…)

At 1935 hours on April 19^th 2013, Stations 23 & 22 (West Grove) was alerted for a building fire at To-Jo Mushrooms in the 900 block of Penn Green Road. NGPD arrived on-scene at 1938 hours and advised fire showing from building #1 with large tanks of ammonia in the fire building.  With this information Chief 23 started Station 25 (Longwood) for the Rapid Intervention Team (RIT). Chief 23 (Cole) and Deputy 23 (Carroll) both arrived at 1939 hours, confirming the NGPD report and started the Working Fire Dispatch. Engine 23-2 arrived and dropped a 5” line from the road into the scene; crews deployed 2) 1 ¾” hand-lines for fire suppression.  Chief 23 established “To-Jo Command” while Deputy 23 handled Operations.  Rescue 23 dropped their 5” line from a nearby hydrant to Engine 23-2’s line for water supply. Engine 22 was set up on the “B” side of the building. Ladder 25 was giving the task of opening the adjacent roof on the “C/D” side to check for fire extension.  With Ladder 25’s crew going in service on the roof, command requested Station 21 (Union FC of Oxford) for “RIT”. Ladder 22 arrived and assisted with getting the other adjacent roof opened on the “B” side. (more…)

On Wednesday night April 3^RD at 1759 hours The Avondale Fire Company was dispatched to the 9000 block of Gap Newport Pike for an automobile fire exposed to propane tanks. Chief 23 (Cole) responded at 1800 hours and was advised by CCFB that NGPD called in the incident advising a fully involved automobile fire beside a large propane tank.   Chief 23 arrived at 1803 hours conforming the police department’s report and established “Route 41 command”. Rescue 23 (Captain Bessicks) arrived at 1806 hours.  Crews pulled an 1 ¾ hand-line, checking the propane tank for heat and used foam to extinguish the fire.  Tanker 23 (LT. Reed) arrived at 1810 hours, hooking into Rescue 23 for water supply. (more…)

On Thursday Night February 21st at 2254 hours the Avondale Fire Company was dispatched for the Tanker to assist the West Grove Fire Company on a Working Mobile Home Fire in the 600 block of North Guernsey Road. Tanker 23 (Carroll) and Engine 23-2 (Cole) both responded at 2257 hours. Upon arriving on the scene, the Command (Gattorno) advised Tanker 23 to supply water to Tanker 22 once Engine 27-5’s water tank was empty. The Engine crew reported directly to the fire scene, and assisted with getting the mobile home’s siding, and walls opened up from the exterior. Once the Fire Marshalls were complete their investigation, the crew assisted with over-haul. Command released the 23 units at 0013 hours.

(more…)

On Monday morning at 0724 hours the Avondale Fire Company along with the West Grove Company, 2 Engines from Kennett Fire Company, and an Engine from Hockessin Fire Company were dispatched to the 300 block of East Third Street in Avondale Borough for a report of a house fire. Chief 23 (Cole) responded at 0726 hours and was advised by CCFB that the caller was reporting heavy smoke from the house’s roof. Chief 23 arrived at 0730 hours to find a 2 ½” story single family dwelling (SFD) with heavy smoke coming from the attic windows. With multiple units responding, Chief 23 completed a 360 of the structure and found fire in the 1^ST floor walls.

(more…)