At 14:14hrs Station 4, Station 5 (East Whiteland), Station 56 (Goshen) and RIT 2 (Berwyn) were dispatched to the unit block of Salisbury Lane in Willistown Township for a reported house fire. Initial notes indicated that the caller was reporting smoke from the basement and a fire involving the electrical panel that had extended to the walls and ceiling around the panel.

Deputy 4 (Rapp) was the first to arrive on scene and reported smoke showing from sides A and B of the single family dwelling. The Working Fire Dispatch(WFD) was transmitted at 14:23 hrs. The WFD brought Air 52 (Goodwill of WCFD) and fire marshals. Deputy 4 assumed the incident commander role. Around this time Paoli Engine 3-1, who normally would have been due on this assignment, was clearing another call and was added to the fire.

Ladder 4 (Chief Gastwirth) arrived and took a position in the driveway and stretched a 1 3/4" hose line to the basement. Battalion Chief 4 (N. Vaughn) was assigned the operations position and requested a second 1 3/4" hose line to the first floor due to suspected fire extension.

Berwyn Engine 2-3 arrived and laid a 5" supply line as East Whiteland Engine 5-5 was arriving and together they established a water supply to Ladder 4. Berwyn's RIT crew staged on Side A.

Additional crews from 3,5,54,56 completed various fire ground tasks as the interior crews located and extinguished a basement fire in the area of the electrical panel. Some fire extension was located on the first floor and crews working above the area of origin opened up the floors and walls to expose and extinguish some hidden fire.

The Chester County Fire Marshals office is investigating the cause of the fire. One firefighter was transported to the hospital with a minor injury incurred at the scene.

All Photos courtesy of Dannon Voight.