Multiple-Structures Fire Requires Multiple Alarms

 

At 5:30 A.M. on Saturday July 30th, Santa Clara County Fire Department dispatched units to a reported structure fire at Monterey Highway and Watsonville Rd., just near the Cal Fire Morgan Hill Fire Station. The following report comes from FASCV member Bruce Dembecki:

 

Units from South County/Cal Fire and County Fire responded, and at 5:31 A.M., South County Engine 1 reported they were on scene of a structure fire with a multiple structures fully involved, requesting a second alarm at that time to 15520 Monterey Road. Additional Santa Clara County units were dispatched along with mutual aid units from San Jose and Gilroy. By 6:00 A.M., the page had gone out to Fire Associates to respond a Support Unit, and Don Gilbert was joined in Support Unit 3 by Bruce Dembecki, and they were met on scene by Dan Wong.

Behind the main house, two pool houses and a treehouse, connected to the house with flaming wooden trusses, were fully involved. A good stop was effected by units on scene, preventing spread of the fire to the connected house, or the many surrounding buildings used to store tools and supplies for the owner's hardwood flooring business. Had the 911 call been further delayed, the impact would have been far worse. 

The incident was under the command of County Battalion 12, B/C Salazar, driving his brand new Battalion 12 buggy, which he picked up from the County shop just two days earlier. Coffee and donuts were popular at the early hour, and by mid morning, cold drinks were the order of the day. Support Unit 3 was released at around 10:00 A.M. and made it's way back to quarters at San Jose Station 35.

•  More of Bruce Dembecki's photos can be viewed at:  Multiple-structure Fire