Yonkers Fire 1/25 Addtl Information And Discussion

[Steve 78]

Just viewed a chopper shot on channel 5 news, this is a BIG ONE. Seven story building fully involved.

[AFD-PM 0]

just heard on news 12 that the firefighter(s) that were hurt was b/c they slipped on ice and are not seriously hurt.

[Ladder44 73]

Yonkers Ladders 76-79 putin service

[Ladder44 73]

yonkers ladders 76and 79 in service

[Steve 78]

Does anybody know if the FDNY was called in to this box.

[Guest DFFD227]

WOW! What a job...Got a lot of pics...Saw R1SmokeEater Workin, doin a fine job, just as the rest are doin a fine job. What a night for YFD's Bravest...

[Guest DFFD227]

Main Body KD at 0037 Hrs

[Pudge3311 5]

Ok, i buffed this one. shantz should have some pictures to put up. operations hampered due to location of building.

Exposure 1: Street (unknown, but im guessing Caryl Ave)

Exposure 2: Van Cortland Park Ave

Exposure 3: Van Cortland Park

Exposure 4: Building, seperated by approx 20ft alley

Heavy fire in the rear of the structure. Ladder 75 set up on the 3 side, but was hampered due to its close proximity to the building. 1 other deluge gun operating in the rear with Ladder 75, but little progress seemed to made.

Ladder 73 operated on the Exposure 2 side.

Ladder 71 set up on the 1, 4 corner, operating on both sides.

Engine 312 I believe was on the 4 exposure roof with handline.

Ladder 74 located and operating directly in front of building.

Ladder 72 located near the 1, 2 corner, was not placed into operation until approx 2130 due to not having enough water pressure.

Engine 309, 314, 313, all being used as relays and supplying ladders.

Engine 309 laid all 5" ldh from Mclean Ave up Caryl to 314

Engine 314 supplying ladder 73 as well as eng 313 and Eng 304

Engine 304 supplying standpipe as well as ladder 75 and deluge gun in rear.

I was unable to get over to the 4 side to see what units were there.

Multiple reports of water problems due to cars running over supply lines and them breaking or leaking.

IMO, Yonkers doing a great job. The location of the building is severly hampering the operation. Ladders are in great position but there is so much heavy fire in the rear that cannot be knocked down due to there being no access other than right against the building.

Hope all is well.

[Pudge3311 5]

Steve,

no FDNY from what i could see, looked like all Yonkers, lot of mutual aid units in town, but no FDNY that I heard of.

On another note, why does yonkers put a member up on their ladders when they are using master streams? Both Ladders 74 and 72 had members standing at the top directing streams, while Ladder 73 was using the tethers that are attached to the ladder pipe. Both 74 and 72 had tethers attached to their pipes. Anyone know why yonkers continually does this?

[61MACKBR1 222]

When do you think you will have the Photos that you took, posted? Alos, do you know if anyone (ie: WestAudio) was able to record any of the Dispatch Radio Broadcasts of this incident?

[Guest rreimund]

When do you think you will have the Photos that you took, posted? Alos, do you know if anyone (ie: WestAudio) was able to record any of the Dispatch Radio Broadcasts of this incident?

Please post pics ASAP. My wife has a family member who lives in a large brick OMD on that block, trying to figure out if this could have been her building. Any word on any occupants and their location at this time. (I've not yet mentioned it to my wife, until I can confirm some details. judging from the address given (100 Caryl) and looking up the location on the map, I'm fairly certain that this is at least two buildings down from her building, but wanted to confirm it via some pictures... is it sort of at the bottom of the hill (sort of in the valley)???

[Guest]

From Journal News:

Apartment residents rescued from Yonkers inferno

By CANDICE FERRETTE AND DESIREE GRAND  

THE JOURNAL NEWS  

(Original publication: January 26, 2005)

YONKERS — A roaring blaze raced through a six-story apartment building on Caryl Avenue last night, driving residents to windows and fire escapes, where they were rescued by firefighters.

Almost 100 firefighters responded to the seven-story brick building at 100 Caryl Ave. about 7 p.m. They were met with flames and heavy smoke, and residents screaming for help.

Many firefighters entered the burning building to rescue tenants, said Fire Commissioner Anthony Pagano, who mentioned one in particular, Arthur E. Econm, who ran in and out of the building several times to pull a dozen people to safety.  

Two residents who had been missing were believed to be accounted for late last night, including Helen Spence of Apartment 3A, who went to her daughter's residence in Larchmont.  

Twelve residents were taken to St. Joseph's Medical Center suffering from smoke inhalation. Four firefighters suffered minor injuries, including two who slipped on ice, said Dr. Roger Chirurgi, a Fire Department physician.  

About 150 people were left homeless. Some spent the night in the gym of Public School 13 on McLean Avenue.  

The fire was thought to have started on the first floor. The cause was unknown, Pagano said. It appeared that natural gas was fueling the blaze, officials said.  

Tiffany Ray, 37, who lives around the corner, near the Bronx border, said she was walking home shortly before 7 p.m. when she heard noise.  

"I said to myself, 'What's that yelling?' " she recalled. It was three girls in their nightgowns, yelling for help from the third-floor fire escape.  

Carlos Perez, 16, a resident of Apartment 3G, was home with friends when he smelled smoke. He opened the door to a blinding, choking smoke in the hallway. He rushed down the fire escape, while his mother, Reyna Rodriguez, was returning home from her job with the city school district.  

"I didn't know where my son was," Rodriguez, 42, said last night. After finding him, she began to realize the extent of the devastation in her building.  

"I have my green card, my passport and my dog in there," Rodriguez, a 10-year resident of the building, said in halting English. Her Pekingese, Armani, was still missing.  

Meanwhile, Michael Barnes, 41, of Apartment 5A was standing outside in the cold with his wife and son. He described how he and his wife learned of the fire from a friend while they were on their way home from Pelham. At first, they didn't know whether 17-year-old Michael Jr., who was in the apartment when the fire broke out, had managed to escape.  

"We just have to move on," said Deanna Barnes, 36, who has lived in the building for two years. "All this stuff is replaceable; my son is not."  

The elder Barnes, who suffers from cancer and uses a morphine pump, also relied on a saline drip at home to prevent dehydration because of his illness.  

At Public School 13, meanwhile, about 60 people had been registered by the American Red Cross late last night. The Salvation Army set up a disaster relief truck nearby.  

The scene at the gym was one of despair as residents, including children, cried and hugged one another. The Red Cross planned to continue processing displaced residents today — assessing their needs, distributing vouchers, and providing clothing and other necessities.  

Among the residents in the gym was Joseph Gandia, who said he had guided his family and a neighbor to his fire escape after he saw thick smoke in the building.  

"I know I can rebuild," said Gandia, who lost two birds in the fire. "Everything we had is gone."  

John Comito, who took shelter at School 13 with his two cats, said he had been asleep when he heard someone knocking on his door, alerting people to the fire.  

"I tell you — you can't beat the smoke," said Comito, whose medication for emphysema was left in his apartment.  

It was unclear last night whether residents of neighboring 90 Caryl Ave. would be allowed back into their building, officials said.  

The Red Cross said it was accepting donations of money. Checks may be sent to the American Red Cross, 106 N. Broadway, White Plains, NY 10603. For information, call 914-946-6500.  

Mayor Phil Amicone said he expected an outpouring of support for the residents.  

"As we always do in Yonkers, people will start helping those whose lives have been turned completely upside down," Amicone said at the fire scene.  

Fire departments from New Rochelle, Greenburgh, Mount Vernon and Eastchester were among the agencies that responded to a mutual aid request to battle the general-alarm fire, Pagano said. Eighteen fire companies, six trucks, 11 engines and a rescue vehicle were at the scene.  

The top floor of the building was still on fire at 11:40 p.m., more than 4 1/2 hours after the fire started.  

The most recent fire in the neighborhood occurred Dec. 18, 2003, at the Carlton Court at 48, 54 and 58 Caryl Ave., part of a group of five-story apartment buildings a couple of blocks away. The buildings' residents were evacuated in the fire, which started in a boiler room.  

Send e-mail to Candice Ferrette

[Truck4 48]

Great Pics by Mark Vergari at www.thejournalnews.com in the gallery.

Also, great video (for once) at www.news12.com

[Guest]

Some more pics from Chopper 7- Eyewiness News :

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/features/wabc_...5_yonkers2.html

[Ladder44 73]

yes ladders 77-79 were put into service.

[Guest]

judging by all the news media at one point the building was totally involved.

[Truck4 48]

IA post has been updated.

Still trying to confirm Mutual Aid units from Mount Vernon and NRFD. FDNY B-27 was at scene for a short time, but no FDNY M/A responded.

[EMTBravo.com 0]

Photos now posted, www.emtbravo.com

Photos by, and thanks to: 901, Truck4, DFFD227, JJPinto, Shantz02, and JFKKG536 .

If more photos are submitted, they will be posted.

Additionally, more photos to come by Truck4 coming soon @ www.onthejobny.com, and possibly photos by TBendick at www.nycfire.net.

[Truck4 48]

tbendick was stuck at work doing a 24 (hee-hee).

Maybe we'll see DFFD227's pics, since he learned how to use the new camera. Actually, he knows how to turn it on and press the shutter button.

[JBE 328]

If the 27Bn from FDNY was there, it's safe to presume M/A was requested. However, more often than not, we send units into Yonkers for firefighting duty, not to relocate. The 27 was probably up there keeping in touch with the Citywide Command Chief and letting them know what was going on and what if any resources from FDNY would be needed.

[Truck4 48]

..and if you didnt hear the Hamster story...

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/wabc_0126..._firenoon.html#

..and watch the video.

[Truck4 48]

Co's found (1) male DOA inside the building.

[aves3131 0]

just read the story and saw the video concerning the hamsters. at first i kind of dismissed it, kind of insignificant, but then when i saw the reaction of the lady i realized how much that must of meant to her, after losing everthing. nice job by the yonkers firefighters to check that out for her.

[Guest WolfEMT]

Being that it was such a big fire and within close proximity to NYC city limits, did FDNY send any M/A assistance?

[Stepjam 118]

Initially, I kind of had the same reaction. Then I realized that those animals are all that woman had left. Kudos to the Yonkers FF's who brought them out, that was a real act of kindness.

[HCFRFF 0]

How about a total run down of units on scene and all mutal aid co's

[Shantz02 0]

Total run down of companies on scene can be found back in the Incident Alert area of these boards. Truck4 updated it all yesterday.

[Stepjam 118]

After going through the news coverage, I guess we can breathe a collective sigh of relief that this one wasn't much, much worse than it was. I know that's no consolation for the dead lady's family.

It's amazing that almost everyone escaped relatively uninjured, and that the FF's themselves sustained only minor injuries. I am thankful for that.

What is also amazing is that a relatively modern building (early '60's?) of this size could burn so quickly and easily in the face of a such a large and prompt response. I have never seen anything like this. I believe the building was also SP'd and sprinklered? I have witnessed fires in buildings of similar construction, and they were contained to a single unit (perhaps involving the adjacent or above unit also) until they were knocked down.

Any discussion on this?

[mikeinet 37]

There were numerous reports/writeups that it hit the gas line and that's what supplied the fire.... so if the fire hit the gas line in the apt of origin... im sure that was it from there and it just spread all the way up

[Truck4 48]

Just to verify/correct earlier post- a female DOA was located last night in the debris of the upper floors that collapsed to the first floor rear. There is an unconfirmed report of a male occupant still missing.

(1) firefighter fell through the floor during the fire and was transported to the hospital. He's reported to be ok.

All front line units that responded to the scene are in the IA post. Relief companies that responded later are left out, but mentioned in the discussion section. No Mutual Aid was requested to the scene.