At 3:41 PM on January 1, West Mead Fire Departments #1 and #2 were dispatched for a reported structure fire on Oakgrove Avenue in West Mead #1’s first due. Engines 28-13, 28-12, and 28-11 responded from West Mead #1. Chief 28 Brad Johnston arrived on scene and reported a working fire in a single-story, single family dwelling with smoke showing from the attic. All occupants were reported to have exited the structure. Chief 28’s 360-degree survey observed fire on the first floor, so he requested an Alpha side interior attack from the first-arriving crew on 28-13. He also asked for mutual aid from Meadville Central, Cochranton, East Mead, Vernon Central, and Saegertown, eventually requesting a second alarm and a tanker task force. The first crews on scene pulled a 1¾” preconnected handline to the front door and a second backup line into the yard. A 28 crew took the first handline in the front door and knocked down visible fire on the first floor. Finding no interior attic access, they shifted to an exterior attack through an attic access window on the Alpha side. As Meadville Central’s crew took a second handline in the front door, command was informed that there were holes in the floor of the residence. All units were ordered out of the structure, and command chose to change to defensive operations.

As temperatures hovered in the mid-single digits, frozen hydrants resulted in a delay and loss of water on the fireground. Eventually water supply was established with a working hydrant near the Meadville Area Recreation Center. Tankers shuttled water to a site near the intersection of Alden and Oakgrove, where Vernon Central set up Tanker 23-5 to draft from two dump tanks and pump through 2,000 feet of 4″ supply hose along Oakgrove Avenue.

People in the community organized on social media and canvassed local businesses to contribute food and hot drinks for the family and firefighting crews. Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Domino’s, Burger King, Sheets, and Tim Hortons contributed food, coffee, and hot chocolate. American Red Cross also brought hot drinks for the firefighting crews.

Operations on scene continued for several hours, with crews opening up walls and applying water from the exterior. Several sections of the roof collapsed completely into the structure. Crews continued operating and applied large quantities of water, followed by a 1,000-gallon class A foam blanket.

The fire was ruled accidental with the wood stove as ignition source.

No injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported during the incident. A cat belonging to the resident remained unaccounted for.

Other departments on scene included Meadville Central, West Mead #2, East Mead, Cochranton, Vernon Central, Vernon Township, Greenwood, Hayfield, Summit, Randolph, and Conneaut Lake. Meadville Ambulance and West Mead Police were also on scene.

All 28 units returned to service by 7:57 PM.

Some photos used courtesy of Doug Sekerski