At approximately 1700 hours (5:00 PM), Stations 45 & 46 (the Downingtown Fire Dept.) was dispatched for a reported working building fire with smoke showing on the 100 block of Wallace Ave. in Downingtown Borough. Also on the initial first alarm box were Ladder 41 (Coatesville FD), Station 47 (Lionville FC), Eng 6-1 (West Whiteland FC), Eng 5-5 (East Whiteland), and Eng 51-2 (West Chester FD – First West Chester) as the Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) assignment.

The Downingtown Fire Company was wrapping up a prior apartment fire on West Lancaster Ave when dispatched, and the first unit on scene was Ambulance 46-3, who had been returning to their station from the apartment fire. Ambulance 46-3 arrived and reported heavy smoke showing from a store on the end of a two story strip-mall shopping plaza. Battalion Chief 46 quickly arrived on location and established command, and requested a Second Alarm.

Downingtown fire crews arrived shortly thereafter and started an aggressive fire attack to try and contain the fire. Truck crews from Tower 45 went to the roof and started making a ‘trench cut’ in the roof to stop the fire from spreading from store to store. Engine 5-5 arrived and laid a 5” large diameter supply line to bring water from a hydrant on Wallace Avenue to the scene, and East Whiteland firefighters deployed additional hand for interior fire suppression. Unfortunately, with fire rapidly moving through a common attic space between stores, the crew on the roof was forced off before the trench cut could be completed. Due to the rapid fire spread, the volume of fire, and rapidly deteriorating interior conditions, command made the decision to evacuate the building and switch to defensive (exterior) operations.

Because most of the hydrants in the area of the fire building were already being used to supply water to the fire ground, a Tanker Task Force was requested to help supplement the fire hydrant system. The Tanker Task Force brought in tankers from 39 (West Bradford), 52 (West Chester FD – Goodwill), 49 (East Brandywine), and 3 (Paoli). Due to the sheer volume of water needed, a second Tanker Task Force was requested, adding tankers from 61 (Kimberton), 63 (Liberty of Spring City), 33 (Honey Brook), and 25 (Longwood).

Due to extended and prolonged fire ground operations, a Third Alarm was struck for relief manpower to assist with the extensive overhaul operations. The third alarm brought Engine 8-1 (Keystone Valley Fire Dept.), Engine 51 (Kimberton), and Engine 73-1 (Ludwigs Corner) to the scene.

Units operated on scene for over 10 hours, and the last units were cleared at around 0300 hours (3 am) on May 13th, 2015.

Photos & Videos courtesy of IrishEyez Photography, Mark Walsh, and Ed Dugan.