Flames Coffee Shop Goes Up In, Well ... Flames

    

Photo By Bruce Dembecki

After a busy night, and two fires already under their belts, firefighters at San Jose Fire Station 9 slipped back into quarters at 6:00 A.M. to take a quick nap before end of shift. At 6:22 A.M., they were awoken by someone at the front door. The chef at Flames Coffee Shop was reporting the restaurant was on fire. Engine 9's Captain looked across the road to see the restaurant was fully involved in flames and got on the radio to request a first and second alarm response.

   

What apparently started as a grease fire in the kitchen quickly turned the whole building into an inferno. Flames were shooting 60' or more into the air from the structure located at 1812 Hillsdale Ave. The incident escalated to a 3rd and 4th alarm before an extended defensive attack finally quenched the flames. No-one was injured during the blaze.

   

As this unfolded, Fire Associates member Bruce Dembecki was heading to Fire Station 6 to bring Fire Support Unit 2 to the scene. Arriving on scene around 7:00 A.M., Bruce was met by Fire Associates members Don Gilbert and Larry Carr, and later in the morning, Dan Wong and Cliff Smith also worked on scene. Directed to by the IC to establish Rehab across the street from the fire in the Target parking lot the team quickly setup hot and cold drinks for crews still working across the road. While the surround and drown effort was going on across the road crews came through rehab, where hot coffee was particularly popular. A passing citizen dropped off a supply of donuts which went quickly.

   

By 10:00 A.M., most fire crews had been released. While there will be an ongoing fire watch for the rest of the day and into Sunday, the fire was most definitely under control. FSU2 was released from the incident and returned to Fire Station 6 by 10:15 A.M.

• Bruce's photos can be viewed at:  Coffee Shop Fire

-- Report submitted by Bruce Dembecki