Saturday June 28 – The 1100 block of Ashland Avenue was the scene of an early morning automobile fire. Firefighters from the 10th Street station arrived to find a 1999 Buick Century fully involved in fire in the alley behind the address. A nearby garage was in danger of becoming involved as firefighter’s quickly deployed hoselines to combat the flames. The vehicle was declared a total loss as the fire completely consumed the passenger compartment. The fire is considered suspicious and is under investigation by the Fire Prevention Bureau.
Saturday June 28 – At 10:25 PM calls began streaming in to Central Alarm reporting a structure fir in the 1800 block of Linwood Avenue. Fire units arrived on the scene of the 1 ½ story wood frame home to find a large amount of fire on the first floor. Initial reports from neighbors indicated that the two residents of the home were possible trapped inside. With much of the initial alarm committed to the rescue efforts, the on-duty Platoon Chief called for additional resources to assist in combating the blaze. Firefighters aggressively deployed hoselines while members of the Truck Company pushed ahead and began in interior search for the residents. Multiple hoselines were deployed while firefighters from other units placed ladders and began ventilation efforts. This allowed the tremendous amount of toxic smoke to exit the structure and made conditions and visibility better. The report of trapped occupants was found to be erroneous and the bulk of the fire was controlled within 20 minutes. Mutual aid from Niagara County provided coverage for empty city stations while all on-duty resources were committed. The exact cause of the fire is undetermined and is still being investigated. One firefighter did sustain minor injuries.
Monday June 30 – The rash of early morning automobile fires continued. Just before 2AM fire units were dispatched to the 4600 block of Hyde Park Blvd for a reported fire. Units arrived to find a 200 Chevy Tahoe well involved in fire. The owner of the vehicle did report some mechanical issues that were believed to be the cause of the fire.
Tuesday July 1 – The new month started with the first call being a reported structure fire. At 3:48 AM members of Platoon 4 were once again dispatched to 15th and Whitney for a fire in a vacant house. Firefighters arrived to this previously fire damaged structure to find flames shooting up the front of the building. This particular structure was the scene of at least 2 other significant fires and firefighter used extreme caution as they quickly were able to darken the flames. Evidence on the scene led investigators to believe that the possible cause of this fire was the use of illegal fireworks that were being set off nearby and may have accidentally set the structure ablaze. The out-of-town owners were directed to secure the building and it is hoped that this structure will be demolished in the near future.
Barbeque Grilling Safety
Everyone loves a cookout and barbeque. However, cookouts can lead to tragedy if they are not properly planned. Outdoor chefs can minimize the risk of fire or injury by following some simple but practical safety tips:
• Never use gasoline to start a charcoal fire.
• Use charcoal lighter fluid safely and prudently. Adding more fluid on hot coals may ignite the stream of fuel and burn back into the can, causing it to explode.
• Consider using a U.L. approved electrical starter in place of lighter fluid.
• Place grills away from structures and combustibles (minimum 15 feet) so they will not tip over or ignite objects above them. One of the biggest dangers with grills is trying to use them on apartment or condominium balconies.
• Never bring a grill into the home. The carbon monoxide produced by burning charcoal is dangerous, and deadly.
• Keep a garden hose or a portable fire extinguisher handy in case of fire in the grill gets out of control. Call 911 immediately.
• Keep children and pets away from fires and grills. It only takes a second for curiosity to cause a serious burn.
• Though coals may appear to be cool, always soak them with water. Coals retain enough heat to reignite for days after a fire.
• If your bag of charcoal gets wet, leave it in a well ventilated area away from the house. During the drying process spontaneous ignition can occur in confined areas.
With a little planning on everyone's part, this can be a safe summer cookout season for everyone.
For the period of Friday June 27, 2008 to Thursday July 3, 2008 the Niagara Falls Fire Department responded to 128 calls for assistance.
