On The Job – Indiana: Frankfort Fire Destroys Commercial Building

FRANKFORT FIRE DEPARTMENT
Chief: Greg Miller
Personnel: 39 career firefighters
Apparatus: Three pumpers, one aerial, one rescue squad, two tankers, one grass truck, one hazmat truck, four BLS ambulances
Population: 21,854
Area: 100 square miles

On Oct. 13, 2004, a 94-year-old building in downtown Frankfort, IN, was destroyed by fire. Ironically, on April 29, 1910, another building on the same corner was destroyed by fire (see facing page). The two-story, 66-by-132-foot brick building with a flat rubber roof was built in 1912. The structure had been remodeled numerous times over the years and at the time of the fire it housed a pet store, Child Protection Services, an accounting firm, The Adult Learning Center, storage areas and offices.

The Frankfort Fire Department was dispatched to a reported structure fire at 57 North Jackson St. at 6:48 P.M. Engine 2, Engine 3, Truck 9 (an 85-foot aerial platform), Squad 1 and Ambulance Squad 2 responded with 10 firefighters under the command of Deputy Chief Jim Osbon. Engine 2 and Squad 1 were positioned at the front of the building. Engine 3 laid a supply line from a hydrant on Washington Street to the rear of the building. Truck 9 was positioned at the northeast corner of the building. Firefighters advanced a 1¾-inch line into the building from Engine 3 in an attempt to locate the seat of the fire. Entry was made into the basement, where firefighters encountered heavy smoke, but they were unable to find any fire. This crew exited the basement and proceeded to the second floor, where they were forced to stop because of intense heat.

Osbon requested the “B” shift to be recalled at 7:06, which included pages to Fire Chief Greg Miller and Deputy Chief Mike Lanum. At 7:10, a general alarm was requested bringing a total of 24 off-duty firefighters to the scene. As additional manpower arrived, the building was sectored off with Miller on the west side, Osbon on the north side and Lanum on the east side.

An interior attack crew under the command of Battalion Chief Rick Ham entered the building through the front door in another effort to locate the fire. A secondary attack crew entered the front of the building at the south end. These crews advanced 1¾-inch lines supplied by Engine 2.

Osbon requested mutual aid at 7:24. The Michigan Township Volunteer Fire Department responded with Engine 7-2 and nine firefighters. This unit was used for standby to cover Frankfort’s district. The Perry Township Volunteer Fire Department responded with Pumper 12, Engine 12 and Aerial 12, a 100-foot aerial ladder, with 13 firefighters. At 8:15, Miller called for additional mutual aid from the Center Township Fire Department in Boone County. Engine 88 and Truck 77, a 35-foot TeleSqurt, responded with seven firefighters.

Interior operations continued until 10 P.M., when all interior crews were withdrawn due to deteriorating conditions, which included heavy fire above the crews and thick, black smoke boiling from the upper-story windows. Operations were changed to a defensive mode at this time.

Truck 9 was set up for water tower operations and Engine 2 put its deck gun in service at the front of the building, along with a 2½-inch attack line with a straight-bore nozzle. Engine 3 placed its deck gun and a portable monitor into operation at the rear of the building. Perry Township Aerial 12 was positioned at the northwest corner of the building and set up for aerial master stream operations. Center Township Truck 77 was positioned at the southwest corner of the building and placed into operation. Both Truck 77 and Engine 2 were assigned the task of keeping the fire from spreading south into the adjoining building.

Osbon declared the fire under control at 12:48 A.M. on Oct. 14. Mutual aid departments were released at 4 A.M.

Two firefighters were injured during firefighting operations. Firefighter Kevin Watkins fell from a 30-foot extension ladder and Firefighter Matt Stidham fell through a floor in the adjoining building while checking for fire extension. Both firefighters were transported to St. Vincent Frankfort Hospital by ambulance.

Investigators from the Frankfort Fire Department and the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office conducted a seven-day investigation at the scene. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Damage was estimated at $1.25 million.