Hundreds flee fast-moving fire in California - CNN.com

Hundreds flee fast-moving fire in California
POSTED: 8:32 p.m. EDT, March 11, 2007

ANAHEIM, California (AP) -- A fast-moving brush fire scorched 1,000 acres of parched hillside and charred at least two homes Sunday, forcing authorities to evacuate more than 200 homes, Orange County fire officials said.

The nearly 2 square mile fire threatened many other houses and the firefighters working to protect them, Anaheim city spokesman John J. Nicoletti said.

'This is a very dangerous firefight,' said Orange County Fire Authority Chief Ed Fleming.

'The terrain is quite rugged, with homes on top of ridges, and the fire picks up speed as it head up the hill,' Fleming said.

No injuries have been reported, Nicoletti said.

The fire, stoked by hot dry winds and fueled by chaparral, spread south and west quickly in an unincorporated part of Orange County and threatened multimillion dollar homes here and in Anaheim Hills, about 35 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

Authorities said the blaze may have been started by a vehicle fire.

Capt. Steve Miller of the Orange County Fire Authority said winds blowing up to 35 mph were making firefighting difficult for the more than 400 firefighters on the sce"

Official News release - Windy Ridge Fire

From The Office Of Fire Chief Chip Prather
ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY
Contact Media Center for More Information, (714) 573-6200
March 11, 2007

Windy Ridge Fire

A vegetation fire started at 7:53 a.m. this morning near the Windy Ridge Toll Plaza of the 241 Toll Road. Fueled by heavy winds and dry vegetation, the fire spread in a southwesterly direction, threatening the community of Anaheim Hills. As of 3 p.m., the fire had burned 1,000 acres. The fire is currently being fought under a Unified Command between the Orange County Fire Authority, the Anaheim Fire Department and the Orange Fire Department. More than 120 fire engines along with helicopters, air tankers and dozer's are currently fighting the fire. Approximately 800 firefighters and 20 hands crews are on scene. There is currently a mandatory evacuation in the area. Evacuation information can be obtained by calling your local law enforcement agency. The 241 Toll Road to the 91 Freeway is closed. For additional road closures, residents should call (800) 427-7623. For more information on the fire, visit the
OCFA’s website www.ocfa.org.

(Emergency Information)

More Than 200 Homes Evacuated Due to Orange County, California Brush Fires

FOXNews.com - More Than 200 Homes Evacuated Due to Orange County, California Brush Fires

"ANAHEIM HILLS, Calif. — Authorities evacuated more than 200 homes as a fast-moving brush fire scorched more than 500 acres of parched hillside Sunday and crept into backyards, Orange County fire officials said.


The fire, stoked by hot dry winds and fueled by dry chaparral, quickly doubled in size in an unincorporated part of Orange County and threatened homes here and in Anaheim Hills. Police were going door to door to warn residents to evacuate, said Anaheim city spokesman John J. Nicoletti.

'There is a lot of fire personnel out there and they are doing the best they can, but the weather is not in their favor,' said Lynnette Round, an Orange County Fire Authority spokeswoman.

At least one home in Anaheim's Hidden Canyon neighborhood was on fire and many others immediately threatened, Nicoletti said.

Authorities believed the blaze began with a vehicle fire, Round said. More than 200 firefighters were on the scene, but winds as high as 35 mph were complicating firefighting efforts, authorities said."

Dealing with sudden oak death

Julie Monson- Marin Independent Journal - Master Gardeners: Dealing with sudden oak death:
Article Launched: 03/10/2007 09:52:37 AM PST

My West Marin garden is surrounded on three sides by the native forest of the Inverness Ridge, which includes magnificent Douglas firs, towering bays, elderly California buckeyes, madrones, coffeeberry and manzanita, as well as coast live oaks and tanbark oaks.

I didn't know when I planted the garden eight years ago that existing and new oaks were to become susceptible to sudden oak death, and that most of their forest companions were foliar carriers of the disease. Over the past four years or so, we've learned to adapt our gardening and landscaping to accommodate the reality of this pathogen and its spread. Living at the urban/wildland interface has its rich rewards and, as we now know, its drawbacks of nature being, well, nature. A few lessons from our experience may be useful to others living close to or adjacent to native woods.

The disease is caused by a pathogen, Phytophthora ramorum, a non-native organism now common in many urban/wildland areas of California's coastal counties. It thrives in warm, damp weather. Not much is yet known about the spread of the pathogen, though oaks and tanbark oaks near or under affect"

Windy Ridge Fire - Orange County: Anaheim Hills Fire

From LAFD Blog

LAFD Resources Sent to Anaheim Hills Fire

Pursuant of a formal Mutual Aid Request, the Los Angeles Fire Department has assigned one Strike Team of Firefighters as an on-site resource available to the Orange County Fire Authority in their battle against a wind-driven wildfire near Highway 241 and the 91 Freeway in Anaheim Hills, California southeast of our City.

These twenty-two members of the Los Angeles Fire Department have been dispatched to the wildfire in accordance with California's Fire & Rescue Emergency Mutual Aid System, administered by the Governor's Office of Emergency Services. The system is designed to ensure that additional resources are provided to local jurisdictions whenever their own resources are committed or insufficient for a specific emergency incident.

The City of Los Angeles remains fully protected by the use of additional staff and reserve apparatus to cover foreseeable local needs, and we remind local residents that these resources can be recalled to our City as necessary.

The men and women of the LAFD ask motorists to remain watchful for these and other convoys of emergency apparatus, and to be mindful of the space necessary for them to safely maneuver on local roads and highways.

Pursuant of protocol, all public and media information regarding this incident, including the actions of assigned LAFD personnel, will be provided by the Orange County Fire Authority, which maintains daily jurisdictional authority of the area where the fire is burning.


Submitted by Brian Humphrey
Los Angeles Fire Department

Re: Windy Ridge Fire - Orange CountyAt 14:05 Ops requested the IC to order 10 type-1 strike teams and 15
type-3 strike teams, plus some dozers etc. Ops replied that "it'll be a
long, long time til they get here," to which Ops replied "we're gonna be
here a long, long time."


UPDATE FROM KCAL / CBS

500-Acre Fire Forces Evacuation Of O.C. Homes

Firefighters were trying to control a vegetation fire that posed a threat to structures in the Orange and Anaheim Hills area, authorities said Sunday.
Link to CBS story here

CBS (AP) ANAHEIM HILLS, Calif. A fast-moving brush fire has already scorched 500 acres of parched hillside Sunday about a half-mile from a housing development in Orange County and burned two structures, authorities said.

The fire forced the evacuation of, at least, 100 homes in the Orange and Anaheim Hills area, a fire captain said.

So far, the blaze has not threatened any buildings but 35 mph winds are keeping firefighters watchful.

Orange County fire officials say the unincorporated area where the fire is burning is bounded by Anaheim Hills and the city of Orange.

About 30 fire units are on the scene and 30 more are on their way.

Orange County Fire Authority spokesman Steven Miller said the good news is that most homes in the area, located near Santiago Oaks Regional Park, are constructed with noncombustible roofs.

Like much of Southern California, the area is under a red flag alert, indicating a high fire danger.

The fire may have been started by a vehicle fire on the southbound 241 Windy Ridge Toll Plaza.

FOX Noise:

ANAHEIM HILLS, Calif. — Authorities evacuated more than 200 homes as a fast-moving brush fire scorched more than 500 acres of parched hillside Sunday and crept into backyards, Orange County fire officials said.

The fire, stoked by hot dry winds and fueled by dry chaparral, quickly doubled in size in an unincorporated part of Orange County and threatened homes here and in Anaheim Hills. Police were going door to door to warn residents to evacuate, said Anaheim city spokesman John J. Nicoletti.

"There is a lot of fire personnel out there and they are doing the best they can, but the weather is not in their favor," said Lynnette Round, an Orange County Fire Authority spokeswoman.

At least one home in Anaheim's Hidden Canyon neighborhood was on fire and many others immediately threatened, Nicoletti said.

Authorities believed the blaze began with a vehicle fire, Round said. More than 200 firefighters were on the scene, but winds as high as 35 mph were complicating firefighting efforts, authorities said.

Fox News headline - Unusual fire in Orange County, CA spreads at rapid rate, sparks evacuation. Editor is wondering what FOX finds unusual about a fire in California?

Central California Earthquake

FOX40 KTXL | Central California Earthquake

Central California Earthquake

March 8, 2007

BRIDGEPORT — A light earthquake struck in the mountains of Central California on Thursday, but there were no immediate reports of injury or damage.

The quake at 7:17 p.m. had a preliminary magnitude of 4.7 and was centered about 14 miles northwest of Bridgeport in Mono County and 114 miles east of Sacramento, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was followed by several smaller aftershocks, including one with a magnitude of 3.0.

Calls inquiring about the temblor were pouring in at the sheriff's department, but no injuries or damage were immediately reported, a dispatcher said.

At the Bridgeport Inn, the quake rattled the nerves of some guests staying in the old Victorian building, but caused no damage, said manager Dennis Williams, who added that neighbors appeared to have no problems as well.

"It was a five-second roller and then a really hard jolt," Williams said of the temblor. "This building was built 1877. ... It's been standing this long, and this little earthquake wasn't going to take it down.

abc7.com: Los Angeles On Pace For Driest Rain Year Ever

abc7.com: Los Angeles On Pace For Driest Rain Year Ever:


Less Than 2½ Inches of Rain in Feb.
AP

LOS ANGELES, March 7, 2007 - With little moisture in usually wet February, meteorologists said Los Angeles is facing its driest year ever with less than 2½ inches of rain so far.
Related Links

Prolonged dry weather, which extended the wildfire season, comes just two years after the region was awash with a near-record 37 inches of rain. Eleven inches fell that February, usually the region's rainiest month.

But more than eight months into the rain year starting July 1, 2006, and ending June 30, the downtown/University of Southern California rain gauge only measured 2.42 inches - 0.92 inch of it falling in February.

Normal annual rainfall in Los Angeles is 11.43 inches and there's no rain in the forecast for the next 10 days, meteorologist Eric Boldt said from the National Weather Service regional office in Oxnard.

The last time it was this dry was in 1923-1924 season when 2.50 inches of rain was recorded through March 22, 1924.

'We've never had a drier year on record so far,' Boldt said Tuesday. 'If nothing significant happens in March, then we've pretty much run out of time. March to early April is about the end of our wet season."

FIRST RESPONDER TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

Emergency Preparedness and Response Emergency Responders OSHA and its State Plan partners helps set and implement national safety and health standards for emergency responders. Foremost among these standards is the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response standard of 29 CFR 1910.120(q). Among other provisions, the standard requires entities engaged in emergency response to provide appropriate training to their workers; to use an incident command system; to develop a written response plan that includes personnel roles, lines of authority and communication, site security and control, medical and emergency alert procedures; and to provide workers with appropriate protective equipment. The 26 OSHA-approved State Plan programs have standards, including the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Responder standard, which are "at least as effective as" Federal OSHA standards. State plans provide assistance and extend their authority to most private sector and all public sector (state and local government) employers and employees in those States, including first and second responders. First Responders First Receivers Skilled Support Personnel Safety Officers Equipment Training and Education Additional Links First Responders (Fire Fighters, Police Officers, and Emergency Medical Technicians) See also Equipment and Training and Education. Safety and Health Guides. OSHA, (2004). Provides an overview of worker hazards related to various emergencies. They were designed for use as a general handout during an emergency event, or as a training supplement for emergency preparation. NIOSH-RAND Report: Protecting Emergency Responders, Volume 3: Safety Management in Disaster and Terrorism Response, US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2004-144 RAND Publication No. MG-170. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Rand Corporation, (2004, May). Also available as a 874 KB PDF formats, 154 pages. Addresses the protection of emergency responders against injury, illness, and death on just such rare occasions, when emergencies become disasters. Builds on a broad base of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health programs and RAND Corporation research on protecting emergency responders. Focuses on preparedness (especially planning and training) and management as means of controlling and reducing the hazards emergency responders face. Provides a set of recommendations on how disaster site safety and health management might be improved. Much of the information contained herein is based upon the firsthand experience and suggestions of emergency responders who were there at the World Trade Center and at the Pentagon on and after September 11, as well as those who responded to the Northridge earthquake (in California) and Hurricane Andrew (in Florida). Report Offers Guidance and Recommendations on Safety of Emergency Responders in Terrorist Events. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Update, (2002, March 21) Anthrax. OSHA eTool. Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by a spore-forming bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. It is generally acquired following contact with anthrax-infected animals or anthrax-contaminated animal products. Anthrax has received heightened attention recently because of its use as a biological warfare agent. This eTool provides information about Anthrax, including risk, preparation and clean-up. Model Health and Safety Plan (HASP) for Clean-up of Facilities Contaminated with Anthrax Spores. OSHA, (2003, April 9). National Incident Management System. US Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), (2004, March 1). Available as a 505 MB PDF, 152 pages. Provides a synopsis of each major component of the NIMS, as well as how these components work together as a system to provide the national framework for preparing for, preventing , responding to, and recovering from domestic incidents, regardless of cause, size, or complexity. First Receivers (Healthcare Workers, Hospital Employees) OSHA Best Practices for Hospital-Based First Receivers of Victims from Mass Casualty Incidents Involving the Release of Hazardous Substances. OSHA, (2004, December 20). Provide hospitals with practical information to assist them in developing and implementing emergency management plans that address the protection of hospital-based emergency department personnel during the receipt of contaminated victims from mass casualty incidents occurring at locations other than the hospital. Among other topics, it covers victim decontamination, personal protective equipment, and employee training, and also includes several informational appendices. Skilled Support Personnel (HAZMAT, Sampling, Crime Scene Personnel, Remediation, Construction, and Clean-up Personnel) OSHA Disaster Site Worker Outreach Training Program. GAO-04-239 Report: U.S. Postal Service - Better Guidance Is Needed to Ensure an Appropriate Response to Anthrax Contamination. United States Government Accountability Office (GAO), (2004, September), 1.0 MB PDF, 83 pages. Report to Congressional Requesters. Report Highlights. 75 KB PDF, 1 page. Fact Sheet for Workers in Secondary Response and Other Supporting Roles. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), (2001, September). Protecting Workers at the World Trade Center Site. (2002, May). Response from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Improving the Training of Skilled Support Personnel for Responding to Terrorist Actions: A Review of the Problems and Feasible Solutions. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), (2002, December 14), 491 KB PDF, 41 pages. Safety Officers (SO) The SO monitors incident operations and advises the IC on all matters relating to operational safety, including the health and safety of emergency responder personnel. The ultimate responsibility of the safe conduct of incident management operations rests with the IC or UC and supervisors at all levels of incident management. The SO is, in turn, responsible to the IC for the set of systems and procedures necessary to ensure ongoing assessment of hazardous environments, coordination of multiagency safety efforts, and implementation of measures to promote emergency responder safety, as well as the general safety of incident operations. [More from NIMS Document (PDF Page 29)] for Emergency Responders" href="http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/emergencypreparedness/cbrnmatrix/index.html"> CBRN Personal Protective Equipment Selection Matrix for Emergency Responders. OSHA, (2004, April 30). Electronic Health and Safety Program (eHASP)2. Created in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the updated eHASP Guide uses modern (Windows-based) software, site-specific text, and expanded decision logic to assist the user in determining the appropriate controls of health and safety hazards for their sites. Protecting Emergency Responders: Safety Management in Disaster and Terrorism Response. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2004-144, (2004 May). Equipment Personal Protective Equipment. OSHA Safety and Health Topic Page. NIOSH Issues first approval for certifying emergency responder respirators. (2002, May 31). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) issued its first approval of respirators for occupational use by emergency responders against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents. CBRN Respirator Standards Development -- Full Facepiece Air Purifying Respirators (APR) to Protect Emergency Response Workers Against CBRN Agents. The National Personnel Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL). Describes continuing efforts to develop appropriate standards and test procedures for all classes of respirators that will provide protection from CBRN agents. Eye Safety for Emergency Response and Disaster Recovery. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Provides guidelines, images of increasingly effective eye protection, first aid advice and information resources. Guide for the Selection of Personal Protection Equipment for Emergency First Responders. National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Guide 102-00, (2002, November). Provides four PDF volumes of information on personal protection equipment (PPE) for consideration by emergency first responders when purchasing and using PPE, including duration of protection, dexterity/mobility, launder ability, and use/reuse. Guide for the Selection of Chemical Agent and Toxic Industrial Material Detection Equipment for Emergency First Responders. National Institute of Justice (NIJ), (2000, June). Provides two PDF volumes of information about detecting chemical agents and toxic industrial materials and selecting equipment for different applications. An Introduction to Biological Agent Detection Equipment for Emergency First Responders. National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Guide 101–00, (2001, December). Provides emergency first responders with four sections of PDF of information to aid them in their understanding of biological agent detection equipment. Guide for the Selection of Chemical and Biological Decontamination Equipment for Emergency First Responders. National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Guide 103-00, (2001, October), Provides information about the selection and use of chemical and/or biological decontamination equipment for various applications. Because of the large number of items identified in this guide, it is printed in two volumes: Volume 1 presents the guide, and Volume 2 contains the decontamination equipment data sheets. Guide for the Selection of Communication Equipment for Emergency First Responders. National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Guide 104-00, (2002, February), Provides emergency first responders with information they can assess when selecting communication equipment for use with chemical and biological protective clothing and respiratory equipment. Volume I presents an overview of communications systems and discusses equipment characteristics and performance parameters. Volume II lists manufacturer-supplied details for the 181 items referenced in the first volume. Training and Education Incident Command System/Unified Command (ICS/UC). OSHA eTool. Provides basic information about the Incident Command System and the Unified Command, specifically as it relates to the National Contingency Plan 40 CFR.300. eTools are illustrated, interactive web-based training tools on occupational safety and health topics. eTools do not create new OSHA requirements. Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response. OSHA Fact Sheet 93-31, (1993, January), 345 KB PDF, 2 pages. National Fire Protection Association Publications NFPA 30: Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code: Item No. PY-30-96 NFPA 49: Hazardous Chemicals Data: Item No. PY-49-94 NFPA 325: Fire Hazard Properties of Flammable Liquids, Gases, and Volatile Solids: Item No. PY-325-94 NFPA 422: Aircraft Accident Response: Item No. PY-422-94 NFPA 471: Responding to Hazardous Materials Incidents: Item No. PY-471-97 NFPA 472: Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents: Item No. PY-472-97 NFPA 473: Competencies for EMS Personnel Responding to Hazardous Materials Incidents: Item No. PY-473-97 NFPA 491M: Hazardous Chemical Reactions: Item No. PY-491M-91 Consequences of Terrorism. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Emergency Management Institute (EMI). Collection of training terrorism preparedness courses divided by intended audience. Also, general information on FEMA training programs. EMI Courses and Schedule. Terrorism Consequence Management EMI Catalog of Activities Training videos for first responders US Department of Justice (USDOJ), Office of Justice Programs. Videos for state and local first responders that cover response to incidents of terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction. Emergency Response to Terrorism self-study manual. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), US Fire Administration, 4.58 MB PDF. Provides a general introduction to the basic concepts for first-responder awareness at the scene of a potential terrorist incident. Available for order from the USFA Publications Center. Learning from Disasters: Weapons of Mass Destruction Preparedness Through Worker Training. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), (2002, April 26), 1.03 MB PDF, 45 pages. Worker Training In A New Era: Responding To New Threats. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, (2002, October 26-27), 556 KB PDF, 61 pages. Additional Links Workplace Preparedness Against Terrorism is Strengthened by New Tools, Methods. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), (2003, September 04). In the two years since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has worked closely with diverse outside partners to create new tools and resources that ensure the safety of the nation’s emergency responders when they respond to terrorist attacks and other events. The 2004 Emergency Response Guidebook. This publication was developed jointly by Transport Canada (TC), the US Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation of Mexico (SCT) for use by fire fighters, police, and other emergency services personnel who may be the first to arrive at the scene of a transportation incident involving dangerous goods. It is primarily a guide to aid first responders in quickly identifying the specific or generic hazards of the material(s) involved in the incident, and protecting themselves and the general public during the initial response phase of the incident. Safety and Health Topics Emergency Preparedness and Response Standards Responders General Worksites National Response System Additional Information Credits Accessibility Assistance Contact the OSHA Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine at 202-693-2300 for assistance accessing PDF materials. Back to Top www.osha.gov www.dol.gov

mercedsunstar.com :: Cause of fire that destroyed mobile home is unknown

mercedsunstar.com :: Cause of fire that destroyed mobile home is unknown:

Last Updated: March 8, 2007, 01:27:39 AM PST

Fire of undetermined origin destroyed a single-wide mobile home Wednesday afternoon and displaced a family of five south of Livingston, according to Merced County Fire Department reports.

Battalion Chief Armando Rios said the American Red Cross was called to assist a husband and wife and their three children who lost all their belongings in the 2:40 p.m. fire at 13662 Atwater Jordan Road.

Rios said the woman came home and saw smoke coming from the dwelling. By the time county firefighting units arrived on the scene, the mobile home, valued at $50,000, was ablaze and $20,000 worth of contents also were lost. An adjacent home also was threatened by the fire.

No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Three county firefighting units and a water tender from Atwater, Livingston and Delhi stations responded.

-- Doane Yawger"

LAFD News & Information: Firefighters Briefly Trapped, Injured in Pico-Union Blaze

LAFD News & Information: Firefighters Briefly Trapped, Injured in Pico-Union Blaze:

Firefighters Briefly Trapped, Injured in Pico-Union Blaze

On Monday, February 5, 2007 at 3:14 PM, sixteen Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, eight LAFD Rescue Ambulances, four Arson Units, two Urban Search and Rescue Units, one Rehab Air Tender Unit, one Hazardous Materials Squad, one Helicopter, three EMS Battalion Captains, the LAFD Medical Director, five Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams and one Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 131 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel under the direction of Assistant Chief Ralph Terrazas, responded to a Greater Alarm Structure Fire with Firefighter Injuries at 1866 West 11th Street in Pico-Union area of Los Angeles.

Arriving quickly to a report of two persons trapped on the second floor of a two story residential duplex that was heavily involved with fire, Firefighters mounted a swift offense with handlines and a primary search for the woman and teenage male seen at an upstairs window just prior to the Fire Department's arrival.

An all-out attack on the fire continued as ground ladders were strategically placed around the 3,187 square-foot structure and a crew of four Firefighters entered an uninvolved ground-floor portion of the smoke charged building to effect a rescue.

As the quartet of Firefighters climbed an interior stairway, it suddenly gave way, pitching the four into the flaming basement of the century-old wood frame building.

The imperiled Firefighters immediately activated the 'emergency triggers' on their handheld radios, which alerted both Firefighter/Dispatchers and the Incident Commander, who instantly deployed an on-site Rapid Intervention Company to assist the trapped crew.

Concurrently, the 18 year-old male and 42 year-old female civilians trapped in the building appeared at a different upstairs window, from which other Firefighters swiftly rescued the smoke-exposed but uninjured pair via ground ladder.

The Rapid Intervention Company was soon able to gain access to the trapped crew, to discover two uninjured Firefighters who had self-extricated themselves from a 'partial basement' to assist their colleagues who remained trapped.

Soon thereafter, those Firefighters assisted the Rapid Intervention Company in freeing a Fire Captain with a dislocated shoulder and a Firefighter with second- and third-degree burns to one hand. Both men were able to walk from the structure to awaiting medical aid.

Firefighters confined the fire to the structure of origin, fully extinguishing the flames in just 44 minutes.

The civilians rescued from the fire declined treatment or transportation to the hospital. The injured Fire Captain and Firefighter were taken to area hospitals where they were treated and released.

Loss from the fire is estimated at $250,000 ($200,000 structure & $50,000 contents). The cause of this blaze remains categorized as under investigation.

Watch video here