Ipswich - 2nd Alarm + 1 Engine and 1 Ladder, Market Street 7/13/07

Shortly after 4:30 pm Ipswich fire Crews responded to a report of a fire in the rear of a building on Market Street. The 3 full time on duty firefighters responded from a medical call a few miles away, along with several call firefighters. Upon arrival crews had heavy fire conditions at the rear of a 2 1/2 story wood frame building that had two shops on the first floor and apartments above. The fire had a pretty good head start and had extended extensively into the rest of the building.

The incident commander struck a second alarm bringing another Ipswich engine, a mutual aid engine and mutual aid ladder. The building which has been renovated and added onto over the years presented difficulties giving open voids and false ceilings for the fire to through. A combination of the buildings construction and hot day required more help, which brought an additonal mutual aid engine and ladder to the scene. After about 2 1/2 hours the fire was knocked down, and mutual aid companies began making up and returning.

Apparatus Response:
Initial Response: Ipswich Engines 2 and 3, Truck 1
2nd Alarm: Ipswich Engine 4, Rowley Engine 4, Hamilton Ladder 4
Special Call over 2nd: Topsfield Engine 2, Essex Ladder 1, Ipswich Squad 1
Additional Resources: Rehab 5, Ipswich Police, Action Ambulance
Station Coverage: Headquarters - Wenham Engine 404, Manchester-by-the-sea Engine 4


Aerial ladders were unable to be used on the Market Street side of the building due to over head wires, only ground ladder were used in front.


Roof access was made easier from the roof of a small one story shop next door.


Crews opening up the roof.


Firefighters rehabbing across the street at Ipswich engine 2.


This shot shows how closely packed the shops on Market Street are. The fire was kept from spreading to exposures on either side.


Freshly rehabbed crews getting ready to go back to work on this warm July day.


Ipswich Truck 1 works in the rear of the building where the fire began.


A closer shot of the small attached storage shed where the fire began.


A view of the apparatus clogging Market Street during the fire, traffic was tied up in both directions on route 1A.

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