Report from the Fire Company July 29-August 11

Firefighters responded to a mutual aid call to Springfield Twp. on Sunday, Aug. 11, for a fully involved vehicle fire on the 300 block of Gibbons Rd. (Springfield Fire Co. was already out on a vehicle accident with entrapment at Baltimore Pike & Wallingford Ave.) A column of smoke could be seen rising from the flaming vehicle as soon as apparatus crossed Baltimore Pike at Rt. 320. Firefighters from Springfield’s other engine were in the process of applying water to the vehicle, and Swarthmore stretched a hose to augment Springfield’s onboard water supply. A fuel line rupture made extinguishment difficult until a dry chemical fire extinguisher was applied to blanket the fuel spill and prevent re-ignition. Diking of the spilled fuel was initiated after extinguishment. The vehicle was a total loss. Photo courtesy of Rich Cresson.

From July 29 through August 11, 2019, the Swarthmore Fire & Protective Association responded to the following alarms:

EMS

The ambulance responded to 34 calls for medical assistance in Swarthmore, Rutledge, Morton, Springfield, Ridley Township, Upland, and Nether Providence Twp. The calls were for a variety of emergencies including: fall with trauma, respiratory difficulty, cardiac emergency, head injury, accident with injury, medical alarm, unconscious person, hemorrhaging, cerebro vascular event, change in mental status, fracture, assault victim, sick person, hypertension, diabetic emergency, suicide attempt, seizures, extremity pain, abdominal pain, hyperthermia, and tachycardia.

Automatic Fire Alarm

Three alarms in Swarthmore: 111 S. Chester Rd. for a 2nd floor fire alarm; 727 Harvard Ave. for an alarm in the church sanctuary; 300 block of S. Chester Rd. for smoke detector activation. Two alarms in Nether Providence Twp.: 100 block of Canterbury Dr. for a 2nd fl. hallway automatic fire alarm activation; 600 block of E. Baltimore Pike for a zone 3 fire alarm. One alarm each in Rutledge — 100 block of E. Sylvan Ave. for general fire alarm — and Springfield Twp. — 730 S. Chester Rd. for an automatic fire alarm.

Automobile

Two alarms in Springfield Twp.: Andrew Rd. & Leamy Ave. for a non-waterway rescue of a driver whose car hit a tree, and 300 block of Gibbons Rd. for a fully involved vehicle with exposure to other vehicles. (See photo.) One alarm each in Swarthmore — Yale & Cornell Ave. for an overturned vehicle with entrapment; Morton — 405 Baltimore Pike for an accident with injuries; and Nether Providence Twp. — S. Providence Rd & E. Rose Valley Rd. for an accident with injuries.

Elevator

One call to Nether Providence Twp. at 800 Avondale Rd. for a female stuck in the elevator on the 4th floor.

Building

Two alarms in Swarthmore: 100 block of College Ave. for an odor of smoke in the house; 300 block of Dickinson Ave. for an odor of something burning in the area. One alarm each in Nether Providence Twp. — 300 block of Media Parkway for a stove on fire; Springfield Twp. — 1200 block of East Woodland Ave. for a building fire; and Morton, one alarm — 100 block of Linden Ave. for a lightning strike & the smell of smoke in the attic.

Wires

Three alarms in Swarthmore: University Pl. & S. Chester Rd. for power lines on the house: 6 Ogden Ave. for a transformer fire in the area; Woodbrook Ln. & Wellesley Rd. for wires/transformer with hazards in the area.

Hazmat

Three alarms in Swarthmore: Michigan Ave. & Drexel Pl. for a natural gas line struck by a contractor; 900 block of Mount Holyoke Pl. for a 2nd fl. carbon monoxide alarm; 100 block of Dartmouth Ave. for a natural gas leak inside. One alarm in Nether Providence Twp. on the 400 block of W. Rose Valley Rd. for a smell of natural gas in the area.

Mutual Aid Calls

Five to Nether Providence Twp., four to Springfield Twp., three to Morton/Rutledge.