Benson 2 Alarm Apartment Fire

Tuesday, November 20, 2001 @ 13:04

Station 200 (McKinley), Ladder 401 (Edge Hill), and Engine 5 (Ogontz) were originally dispatched for a fire alarm.  Abington Police Officers got on scene reporting a working fire on the 7th floor of the building, with entrapment.  Montgomery County advised Chief 211 that the police were reporting a working fire, and then upgraded the response to a full box assignment.  The units dispatched on the box were:  Station 200 (McKinley); Ladder 401 (Edge Hill); Engine 5, Engine 5-1 & Rescue 5 (Ogontz); Engine 3 & Ladder 3 (Elkins Park); and Rescue 9 (Rockledge).  Heavy smoke was found on the 7th floor, and the second alarm was struck.  The second alarm consisted of: Engine 402 (Edge Hill), Engine 4 (Cheltenham), Engine 9 (Rockledge), Engine 1 (Glenside), Tower 12 (Colmar), Ladder 601 (Flourtown), Tower 88-21 and Rescue 88-6 (Fort Washington), Rescue 82 (Wyndmoor), and Air Unit 5 (Ogontz).  At the same time this 2 alarm fire was occurring, there was a 4 alarm fire in Upper Moreland Township.  While this was in McKinley's (Station 200) district, most of the other units that would normally respond on the first alarm were on the other call.

Click here to go to the audio page to listen to audio files of the first and second alarm dispatches.

 

(click on pictures for larger view)

 

Asst. Chief 212 controlled 200 Command from inside Engine 206. Chief 411 talks with Asst. Chief 212. Chief 411 and several Edge Hill members by 206. Smoke and water shoot out the window of the 7th story apartment that was on fire.

 Smoke and water shoot out the window of the 7th story apartment that was on fire. Smoke and water shoot out the window of the 7th story apartment that was on fire. An exhausted Edge Hill member after fighting the blaze on the 7th floor. Chief 411 on the fireground. Another Edge Hill member after fighting the fire. A member of McKinley Fire Company after fighting the blaze.

 

   Fire Fighters carry their equipment back to the fire trucks. The windows of the apartment that was ablaze. The windows of the apartment that was ablaze. Lieutenant 400's helmet covered with soot after fighting the intense blaze.

 

Tower 12 (Colmar) would rarely ever respond to a fire in Abington Township. However, since there was a four alarm fire in Upper Moreland Township, it was one of the few units in the area available to respond on the second alarm fire at the Benson.

It would be rare to ever see Tower 12 (Colmar) at a call in Abington Township again in the future.

 

Edge Hill Fire Company

Station 400

2843 Limekiln Pike, North Hills, PA 19038
Emergency Dial 9-1-1