Fatal house fire - Pottsville, PA - 05/12/2013

[@fwesnosk]

Great footage at a tough scene. For those that are not aware of the area this section of Pottsville is on a steep hill with very narrow streets. In March of 1993 a little west of this house a fire destroyed 3 houses and claimed 2 young lives. That fire was also well advanced upon arrival but also had the bonus of a recent blizzard that had dropped about 2 feet of snow on the area. The video of the 1993 is posted with a write up by Mike Glore a noted Pottsville Historian.

[@tylerswanson7994]

Not sure if it's the lighting but that looks like one of the hottest, most intense fires I've seen in 9 years. And to the people who wanna critique these guys from behind a computer, you dont know what they were dealing with.

[@bolich16]

I am from Pottsville area, I know exactly where this fire was and work with a firefighter that was there. The streets up there are barely wide enough to get a firetruck down, and the water supply is extremely sketchy kept going in and out from what i understand, also every fire department in the local area was called out, probably up to more than 10 were called out by second call, the fact that the house next to it didn't go up is all but a miracle.

[@nationsbravest]

Great coverage FIRE and FILM!

[@amyluv2000]

Well said Fred fyre..I'm not a firefighter but I am a wife of a fire fighter Lleuitenent n their job is never easy ..they have to think everything out before acting..this fire could have taken a whole block out...Their job in no way shape or form is easy n they did their best....r.i.p to the little angels n two adults that lost their lives in this terrible fire..

[@connerclement8043]

How many lines did they have on it

[@mylo3126]

Did this finish up as a full Cafs attack to extinguish the blaze ?

[@rescue551]

Evacuation tones. All firefighters are ordered out of the building due to unsafe conditions.

[@tiger2338]

What was the cause?

[@mcfdtv]

I realize that 6 have gone to God. That being said I am sure the FD went beyond what was required and I do hope that the 5 injured FF have a speedy recovery.

[@nohbody85]

I used to live a couple houses down. This happened almost twenty years to the day of the Santai house fire the next block up.

[@leighahmke]

Oh man this is heart breaking

[@gingeroutlaw1755]

Really awful....poor inoccent angels. I wonder what has caused this horrible fire? It was the worst I ever seen! Fire alarms should b working and checked at all times! My heart aches and goes out to the family and friends to this family

[@MysterySkateboards]

Hey griebz you bashing vollys?

[@kither04]

I know they blast the get out alarms but at that point i didnt think anybody was inside. Dd they end up doing an interior attack?

[@Doyle-iq2kv]

kither04 there were people inside, there were 2 adults and 4 kids that were killed

[@ThunderTrain2930]

a woman and her dog were killed in the fire. 7 years later, condolences goes out to the family

[@rileysindt6689]

Actually, 6 people died in this fire.

[@27hfd]

This very sudden and staggering loss has everyone in the public safety sector everywhere in shock and true grief. The victims may have been strangers but as a career firefighter, i can tell you that you bond with the incident and it is never forgotten if you were there. I guess water and personnel issues were managed as best as possible. This was a strong well seated fire giving off maximum heat and directly threatening the adjacent houses. Likely no or broken smoke alarms. CHECK YOURS NOW!

[@jenniferwills3095]

I agree, they are amazing heroes. My house burned last year and they were amazing. They deserve more credit, pay and accolades!!

[@WhoDatNatn]

I never said you said that. I said that. The video says that. the guy who was on scene first who commented said that. it's was too late is all I'm saying. the smoke kills you before the flames. they tried to make entry ( and may have actually went in b/c the 5 fireman suffered injuries which were quite possibly burns or falling debris). again they did all they could. this is not about you losing an argument bro. it's about respecting our heros. i know they're trained well. take care bro.

[@allierebecca6597]

one of those little girls went to my old elementary school

[@i_am_MintaB1]

Joy was her name she was the oldest of the children she was in the second grade when this fire took place i was there watched it from my window which faced that house it was the saddest thing ive ever witnessed in my entire life i lived in a unsafe housed and moved shortly after this fire

[@vfdladder]

Okay, what if they flowed the deck gun and put a good knock on it, but there was a flare up and guys were inside and there was no way to a knock on it? Know you have 6 trapped plus how many firefighters? It seems like the place was going before anybody got on scene, people have there options that's just mine

[@b39sme]

@thefirecontrol I agree the deck gun is a powerful and effective tool but in this case wasn't the correct one to use. With only a 500 gallon tank on their engine, the deck gun wouldn't have put the fire out. Flowing the deck gun as well as a hand line would've drained their tank in less then two minutes. If you have fire fighters in the building you need to protect them with a hose line and flowing a deckgun while they are inside is also dangerous.

[@RASMOBOT]

why did it take so long to get a line in? and why the extension ladder on the front? glad they got things under control though...that thing wouldve taken out the whole neighborhood if they hadnt gotten there when they did

[@i_am_MintaB1]

this house was way up the hill on a very narrow block the firetruck took some time to even turn onto the street from S2nd street they even took part of the lady who house was on that corner while trying to reach the fire i watched this entire thing not knowing all the kids were trapped in that house until afterwards and it was the saddest thing ive ever witnessed in my life the oldest girls name was Joy she went to school with my son

[@Byepolar619]

Isn't the yellow house also involved ?? Looks like the roof is lit up abit ! Good job guys as a nurse I know how tough your job is

[@Gemini_151]

who is responsible for maintaining fire hydrants? I was under the impression that all hydrants had to be checked every so often? RIP! I just hope that none of them suffered :(

[@WhoDatNatn]

don't listen to that dude. It's clear that the fire was too big by the time you guys arrived on scene. My uncle's a Fireman as well as an EMT and I know you guys don't slack. No fireman has an "off" day. Rest easy knowing you did everything you could.

[@chrisdawson1590]

Good job to everyone that was out there but it is so sad of what happen.

[@Bacanalable]

So????, you only need the water on engine tanks for a high gpm/low quantity of water to put this fire on its knees. A pair of pumpers deck gunning from their tanks could had put this fire under control in seconds. It must be understand that BTUs must be confronted with enough GPMs to absorb the heath wich maintains combustion. Besides, larger streams have lots of reach and penetration, something lacking whith several handlines, even if the total GPMs are similar to that from a deck gun.

[@banjopickerinadoublewide7613]

I think I looked this building up on Zillow and it was a good 200 years old. Lots of dry wood

[@Ben942K]

Why were they blowing their horns?

[@christophermarcolla3566]

Christopher Benson honor the fallen

[@nobodyspecial765]

Christopher Marcolla that signals the firefighters to get out of the building

[@Doyle-iq2kv]

Signaling firefighters to leave the building or to signal for any survivors

[@sunstarfire]

Wow.... that thing just went. Amazing firefighting job!

[@sparklycupcakes242]

MY bestie is in heaven now love ya joy emma monster jer bear and bugga boo

[@JB91710]

Where's the water? PROTECTION comes first not heroic Search and Rescue that takes a Massive amount of time all the while the fire is threatening everyone and only going bigger buy the second. Tank water should be flowing on Visible Burning Material within one minute of arrival. You can't assemble an entry team, get them fully dressed and get the front door open in that time, let alone find and save anyone. I wonder if any of those people could have been saved if they just put water on the burning stuff.

[@NLRchargingwildcat]

I bet you the inside was probably mostly wood frame and caught real quick. Along with all the inside components and furniture and stuff, it probably was a bad fire being an older strucutre.

[@prangel1975]

I agree. Thank you Firefighters for all that you do, For putting you own life at risk to save others. This has scar me for life =(

[@TheFireControl]

So what?????. If you put the fire out, you didn't need to maintain the initial attack, besides, there were several other pumpers arriving to this fire at the same time. Don't save on water, save lives and structure!!!!!!.....but the best way on saving water it's putting the fire out asap!!!!.

[@tiger2338]

That is an old house. Plaster and lathe walls, sawdust insulation burn fast.

[@YellinMelinOFCL]

I was there when this happened it was not fun

[@XxAdamBossxXGaming]

Bruh

[@FireRescue80]

@@XxAdamBossxXGaming no funny.

[@XxAdamBossxXGaming]

@@FireRescue80 it is xd

[@jasonscrimager6729]

They have been good friends I watched the kids grow up i will miss them deeply

[@cynthiaarnold5807]

Why is this video on you tube. You can here the poor women scresming for her family. Take it off of the internet.

[@pauliewalnuts4990]

Doesn't anyone use a stang anymore? Holy cow, I dont see any master streams early on. Darken that fire down then maybe an interior attack could be made.

[@jasonbennett6780]

Paulie Walnuts ....you have got to be kidding.

[@TheFireControl]

yesss, a short burst at 500 gpm (3-6 seconds) darkens the fire and buys extra time for victims. For that, you don´t even need to be on hydrant water...

[@jasonbennett6780]

... What a stupid freaking comment! Thanks KZbin fire chief.

[@staciascheitrum1914]

they had no water supply... the hydrant was tapped there was pressure then it was gone... they laid multiple lines bringing water from higher pressure hydrants to fight the blaze but they had to get the trucks and personnel there to do it. the fire was fully involved before the first truck even got on scene. The ff's did the best they could, that area of town has very narrow streets so getting the trucks there is even a job. there was no chance for the people inside even if there was water on it

[@PeaJayCee]

God Bless the fire fighters, EMS and Police. Seems that fire was too far gone to even think of helping those inside.

[@WhoDatNatn]

at the end you can hear them blowing the horn and shouting on the megaphone hoping to wake any survivors up. the smoke inhalation will kill you in your sleep without you even having a chance. it's a sad occurrence no matter what you think should or could have been done differently. i know they didn't have a chance. it went up in a matter of a few mins. by the time the call went out i'd bet they were already gone or shortly there after. just look at how intense the fire was. anyway i'm done. tc.

[@motorad4]

So they were inside with handlines and the fire was not going out? Like I said a half-assed attempt. By the way you cant push fire out of a building its not a bird. You can extinguish it but you cannot push it. Typical fire service lack of knowledge and resistance to change any of their methods over the past few hundred years.

[@worldwiderailfanproduction2841]

Did anyone ever figure out what caused this?

[@Doyle-iq2kv]

Worldwide Railfan Productions my freind died from this fire. It was an electrical issue and there were no smoke alarms. There were 4 kids in the house at the time, and the mom was down the street doing laundry. RIP Browns

[@TheFireControl]

You both look as if the actual outcome has been a very good one, but it was a total loss. Injured FFs are the outcome from low trained FFs, the deck gun its not the culprit!!!!!. I insist, also several engines arrived seconds later, those coul had continued the attack and mop up till an hydrant was operating. I can't understand the arguments about using low gpm at fires this large.

[@omothebarber]

rip

[@vfdladder]

If they didn't establish a water supply yet, the deck gun would have went through there tank VERY fast and they wouldn't have been able to do any fire attack

[@motorad4]

Typical fire service event. Its long into the incident before an attempt is even made to extinguish the fire (i thought thats the whole idea) and when an attempt is made it is a half-assed attempt. Gee, I wonder why this failed...

[@WhoDatNatn]

I feel sorry for you. You've clearly come up with a distorted outlook on life and you say w/e comes to your simple mind. I don't feed trolls but you're not trolling. That's the sad part.

[@TazzMajor]

R.I.P. to the little angels and their parents

[@coochie6094]

The mom survived i think because i remember she was at my church giving a speach about what happened

[@i_am_MintaB1]

@@coochie6094 yes she was actually across the street at the neighbors house when this fire broke out and all of her children along with the dad and the aunt were killed in this fire i was there and this still breaks me into pieces

[@skiqsr]

Knowledge, of the age, of the wood structure is a great benefit... saves ff lives.

[@starrocket666]

I'm gonna guess there was no time for them to get in there and get anyone out ALIVE.That city should fix is water issue if they want there fire dept to look dependable.

[@Bacanalable]

Maybe, but at least I approved 5th degree maths! NFA=(LxW)/3x involvement % (40x60)/3x65%=2400/3=800x3 stories=2.400x65%=1560 GPM. A correct size attack, puts the fire on its knees in seconds, such as when a ship in fire is sinking, the fire dies as soon as the water reaches t fire. When there isn't knowledge, remains the personal attack. Claxons for evacuation, but engines and ffs remain in the colapsing zone, what was the idea?. Pls explain us how did you get that 8900 gpm figure.

[@dawnspencer897]

That family didnt make it, rhey burned to dearh and thier funeral was held at my church, five people parished

[@jenniferwills3095]

What was the cause??

[@Bacanalable]

I supposed you think history begins with the last raining. Deck gunning had put this fire on its knees in seconds, then hand lines for mopping up. I agree that at ffs arriving all the occupants were deceased, but if not????.

[@WhoDatNatn]

an* insensitive

[@photosbychristensen]

They had problem with the water. putting the engine front of the house a lot of company do it so they can get to the fire quicker.The guy/lady who taken this fire isn't get paid.they do it like i do a hobby and give a copy of it to the fire station for future training.They lost 2 kids in that fire that is a fireman worse feeling to lose children in the fire. Don't forget they jobs is to save life and buildings.Let me you see run into a burn building to save some one.

[@TheFireControl]

The time it took to set a ladder its larger than puting the deck gun in action. Why don't they put the deck gun in action asap??????. In fact the blaze was under control as soon as the deck gun penetrated the fire.

[@ff5gus]

Put the foam away....... It fails everytime when proper tactics aren't applied

[@jasonbennett6780]

ff5gus Thank you for your outstanding assessment KZbin fire chief

[@Bacanalable]

If God did exists, he/she/it could had this fire avoided. But fairy tales are just that.