Northampton County 9-1-1 Center transmitted the tactical box at 08:40 Friday morning for 607 Cherry Road on a garage fire attached to a dwelling sending station 47 and EMS 49. Chief 12-03 from Lehigh County asked if his station (Laurys Station 12) was on the box. Due to the fact that Lehigh Township was light on manpower the day before, 12-03 upgraded the tactical box to the first alarm sending Lehigh County station 12, Northampton County stations 44 and 45.
Unit 47-54 went on location reporting a working fire in a two-story private dwelling. Ladder 47 positioned in front of the dwelling and stretched two hand lines. Walnutport ladder 44 positioned in a neighboring driveway and stretched two more hand lines. The initial interior crew knocked the fire down in the garage and tried holding the fire until another team could take the second floor.
The crew on the second floor found extension and commenced an attack that held the fire to the front of the dwelling. With heavy smoke pushing from the roof, the second alarm was sounded at 08:54.
With the rural setting this house is in, no hydrants were available so command had a tanker task force added above the second alarm. Multiple companies from northern Lehigh County and north western Northampton County and Palmerton’s (Carbon) tower ladder were sent to the scene.
Two F.A.S.T. companies were also dispatched, Catasauqua Ladder 2 and Greenawalds Rescue 11. A Rehab unit from station 46 was also on scene.
The fire is under investigation by the Lehigh Township Fire Marshal’s office.
