Mountain View Firefighters Attack Fast-moving Blaze

   

Photo By Mike Garcia

Date and Time: Nov. 30, 2015, 2:49 P.M.
Agency: Mountain View Fire
Type: Second alarm
Location: 230 Lassen Ave., Mountain View
 
Details: Fast developing fire in a single-story, Eichler-type dwelling had spread to the exposure on the "Bravo" side before arrival of first engine. Six hose lines were ultimately pumped by Engine 51. Heavy contents load in the building of origin made complete extinguishment a lengthy and laborious process. Four adults were displaced. Fire Support Unit 1 arrived at about 3:20 P.M. and was released from the scene at 5:00 P.M.
 
Agency Responders:
  Mountain View: Engines 51, 53, 54, and 55; Rescue 51; Truck 51; BC 51 (Custodio-IC); 18A1 (Diaz); 18K1
  Palo Alto: E-64;T-66; BC-66
  XSC: Medic-19 + Supervisor
 
FASCV Responding Unit: FSU-1.
FASCV Responders: Larry Carr, Mike Garcia (driver), Jerry Haag, and Dan Wong

• Mike Garcia's photos can be viewed at:  Lassen Ave. Blaze

-- Report submitted by Jerry Haag

3-Alarm Fire Destoys San Jose Apartment Building

  

Photo by Craig Allyn Rose

At a little before 4:00 A.M. on Nov. 9, the Fire Associates pagers started going off. Located at 5583 Walnut Blossom Drive, the San Jose Fire Dept. was working an apartment fire and they had just gone to a 3rd alarm. John Whiteside headed to Fire Station 35 to get Fire Support Unit 3 while Bill Roth picked up donuts and Bruce Dembecki went straight to the scene.

The blaze had destroyed multiple units in one building of the Blossom Oaks Apartments, a complex with more than 20 buildings. With flames as high as 50 feet coming from the roof of the two-story building, firefighters called a second alarm. When the roof collapsed over 4 of the 2nd story units, a third alarm was struck. Eight of the 22 units in the fire building were heavily damaged, and several others suffered minor damage. Firefighters worked to prevent the spread of the blaze to other buildings.

 

The fire was placed under control at 7:00 A.M. and fire crews remained on scene throughout the day.

 

A large number of residents from the fire building and nearby buildings were out on the street. Several VTA buses were called in to provide residents with shelter from the elements while the Red Cross worked to establish temporary accommodation for almost 50 displaced residents. One firefighter suffered minor injuries.

 

Fire Associates established Rehab, on this cool Sunday morning, on Walnut Blossom Dr. and with the cool morning our hot coffee proved very popular with the firefighters, as were the donuts, of course.

• A San Jose Mercury News story can be read at this link:  Apartment Fire

• Craig Allyn Rose's photos can be viewed at this link:  Walnut Blossom

-- Report submitted by Bruce Dembecki

Palo Alto Firefighters Attack House Blaze

 
Date:  Nov. 5, 2015
Agency:  Palo Alto Fire
Type: House fire
Incident Address:  584 Maybell Ave., Palo Alto
 
Details:  Immediately went defensive, FASCV requested by BC
 
Agency Responders:
    PDFD: BC 66 Bale; E 61, 62, 64, 65; T 66, BS 62; PM 62
    MVFD: T51; BC 51
 
FASCV Responding Unit:  FSU-1; Arrived: 11:00 P.M., Released 1:00 A.M. (Nov. 6, 2015)
FASCV Responders:  Mike Garcia (driver) and Larry Carr
 
-- Report submitted by Mike Garcia

Sushi Restaurant "Cooks" In Sunnyvale

 
Date:  Nov. 3, 2015
Agency:  Sunnyvale Fire
Type:  Restaurant fire
Incident Address:  595 E. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale
 
Details:  Sushi restaurant; start in kitchen; burned all night

Agency Responders:
    SNYDPS:  BC Aherrn; E 41, 42, 243, 43, 244, 44, 45, 46, 246; T41, 42; Rescue
    SCFD:  E 95 covered station
 
FASCV Responding Unit:  FSU-1; Arrived: 6:40 A.M., Released 9:15 A.M.
FASCV Responders:  Mike Garcia (driver) and Len Williams
 
-- Report submitted by Mike Garcia

Fire Associates Responds to House Fire in Sunnyvale

  
Date:  Nov. 2, 2015
Agency:  Sunnyvale Fire
Type:  House fire
Incident Address:  778 Lakewood, Sunnyvale
 
Details:  One-story, Eichler-style house
 
The following "first-person" account was provided by FASCV Vice Presidet, Bob Gundrum:
  

"This fire was at 778 Lakewood Drive, across the street from my house at about a 45-degree angle. My wife, Janet, called me out of our back yard to look at some smoke coming up from behind the house across the street. I went over to bang on the door and alert the three residents, who had just become aware of the 'problem'. One resident tried to get a garden hose from the front yard to attack the fire. Response of SNY was delayed since the initial report indicated the fire was on the bayside of Hwy. 101 - NORTH of Fair Oaks Ave. That was a significant error because, in fact, the fire was just north of Lawrence Expy. SNY dispatched on the initial report to the area of 101 & Fair Oaks. I tried calling 9-1-1 and got a busy signal, then heard one of the residents say she lived at 778 Lakewood Dr. and her home was on fire. The neighbor immediately west of the incident arrived home and I went into her back yard and was able to get garden hose water on the fire located in a covered patio area until SNY apparatus arrived. As SNY was getting lines in place, a gust of wind came up and the rest was history."

  
Agency Responders:
    SNYDPS: BC Aherrn; E 41, 42, 244, 44, 45, 46, 246; T41, 42; Rescue 41
    SCFD: E 95 covered station
 
FASCV Responding Unit:  FSU-1; Arrived: 5:30 P.M., Released 7:30 P.M.
FASCV Responders:  Mike Garcia (driver), Bob Gundrum, and Len Williams
 
-- Report submitted by Mike Garcia