By Lt. Larry Tracy
Fire roared through a vacant residence at 236 Iowa St. as Indianapolis (IN) firefighters arrived on the scene.
Crews had to battle a tight dead-end street, snow, and bitter cold as they attacked the fire defensively because of the amount of fire and threat of collapse. Fortunately there were no injuries to firefighters on the scene although there was some siding damage sustained by the residence at 240 N. Iowa caused by radiant heat from the original residence fire.
The fire was in a wood-frame constructed building, and crews found heavy fire showing upon arrival. They made use of four 1 3/4 handlines, one aerial master stream, and two 5-inch supply lines in battling the flames. The fire was under control in within an hour.
Photo courtesy of the Indianapolis Fire Department. See more HERE.
For more on defensive firefighting operations, consider On the Line: First-In Engine Reporting Defensive on Arrival, Firefighter Training Drill: Safety Officer: Defensive Operations, and Transitioning from Offensive to Defensive .
For more recent Indianapolis incidents, consider Indianapolis (IN) Firefighters Extinguish Early Morning Residential Fire, Indianapolis (IN) Firefighters Battle Working Residential Fire with Extension, and Hazmat: Indianapolis (IN) Firefighters Battle Fire at Oil Filter Recycling Facility.
For more on vacant structures, consider Developing Response Guidelines for Fires in Vacant Buildings, National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System: Vacant Structures, and National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System: Floor Collapse in Vacant Structures.
