Story and photos by Dennis Walus
On Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at around 1830 hours, Detroit (MI) 6th Battalion firefighters responded to a reported dwelling fire at Beaconsfield & Mack.
On arrival, Engine 38 reported a vacant dwelling going throughout; fire had also extended to a second dwelling. Engine 38 stretched on the dwelling. Chief 6 arrived and assumed the incident command and ordered a defensive attack on the dwelling that had fire going throughout.
Ladder 31 was positioned for water tower operations. Crews performed an interior attack on the exposure dwelling. This fire was brought under control in approximately one-and-a-half hours. Engine 38, Engine 32, Engine 58, Ladder 31, Squad 6, and Chief 6 responded to this incident
More photos by Dennis of this incident can be seen at http://www.detroitfiregroundimages.com/Fire-Scenes/Detroit-Box-Alarm-Beaconsmack/21104019_9fnnFh#!i=1678586524&k=3bRZt9H
Fore more fire photos from the Detroit area, visit our Detroit gallery HERE.
Detroit's dwindling population in the past several years has given rise to high number of fires in vacant dwellings. During a recent radio broadcast, Tailboard Talk hosts Dane Carley and Craig Nelson talked to producers of the Detroit fire documentary, "Burn," about firefighting in the city and its struggles (CLICK HERE for more).
For more on firefighting in vacant dwellings, consider National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System: Vacant Structures, New Detroit (MI) Fire Department Policy to Responding to Fires at Vacant, Situational Awareness and "Reading" a House, and Firefighter Safe Operations in Abandoned Buildings.