Friday, August 2, 2013

FASCV Responds to Multiple-Alarm Refuse Transfer Station Fire In Morgan Hill

Photo from Morgan Hill Chief Jamie Norton

Photo Provided By San Jose Deputy Chief, Juan Diaz
On August 2, at 7:12 P.M., Morgan Hill Cal Fire dispatched equipment to a blaze at 10470 Llagas Avenue, with a cross street of East Middle Avenue. The site was a large refuse transfer station and the contents were blazing! Fire Associates received a page at 8:13 P.M. for rehab support and John Whiteside responded to San Jose Station 35 to drive Fire Support Unit 3 to the fire, about 25 miles away.
  
Located south of, and just outside, the Morgan Hill city limits, this site is in the response area of the South Santa Clara County Fire District, staffed by Cal Fire. First-arriving units laid a large-diameter supply line almost 1,000 feet to reach the fire. This was later supplemented with 4 water tenders shuttling water from several miles away. Lots of foam was expended to penetrate the piles of refuse, which had been moved outside by tractors.
  
FSU-3 arrived on scene at 9:09 P.M. and began to set up Rehab. Later, FASCV member Dan Wong arrived from Mountain View to assist. Firefighters enjoyed our portable benches, lemonade, coffee, water, Gatorade, blueberry and CLIF bars, and area lighting.
 
South County equipment was aided by fire units from Gilroy, San Jose, Cal Fire and Morgan Hill. Based on the amount of equipment (10 engines, 4 water tenders, 1 ladder truck and many chief officers and support personnel), it was deemed to be equal to a 3rd-alarm response. San Jose Fire also provided station coverage with additional units. Fire units remained on scene most of the night.
 
John was released at 12:59 A.M. (August 3) and arrived back at Station 35 at 1:25 A.M.
-- Report submitted by John Whiteside
Posted by at