A windy evening brought a trio of calls for service for the West Mead 1 volunteers.

Both West Mead fire companies were dispatched for a reported structure fire on Liberty St Extension in West Mead 1’s first-due district. Engines 28-13, 28-11, and 28-12 responded, along with West Mead 2’s engine and tower. Meadville Ambulance and Saegertown Fire Department also responded to assist. Chiefs Brad Johnston and Craig Lauer arrived on scene and reported nothing visible from the exterior of a single-story residence. The strong smell of smoke was identified as a minor electrical problem, and crews were soon released and returned to service.

As engines returned to station, 28-12 was requested to respond to the intersection of Phelps Road and Tamarack Drive for a tree down on wires. The crew removed the tree from the roadway and returned to the station.

Engine 28-12's crew removes a tree on wires on Phelps Road near Tamarack Drive

Twenty minutes after returning to service, West Mead 1 was tapped for a natural gas leak on Second Street. Engines 28-12 and 28-11 responded to the scene, a 1 1/2-story residence with a strong smell of natural gas from a newly installed water heater. Lieutenant Chris Rayburn guided the ventilation of the basement. National Fuel responded to investigate, and all 28 units cleared the scene and returned to service.

Engine 28-12 on scene of a reported gas leak on Second St
Lt Chris Rayburn and West Mead 1 firefighters stand by as crews work to ventilate a basement with a reported gas leak
Firefighter Doug Blair returns equipment as a crew works to ventilate a minor gas leak on Second St
Second Assistant Chief Ryan Zook waits by Engine 28-12 as a crew checks on a gas leak on Second St
Firefighters practice sizeup and review building construction on Second St during a gas leak response