Early-morning job in Oakland |
| By By JEREMY DONCH Correspondent | |
| July 7, 2006 | |
| OAKLAND, N.J. - During the early-morning hours of Friday, July 7, the Oakland Fire Dept. was dispatched for a report of a building fire on West Oakland Avenue in the downtown district. Upon arrival, heavy smoke was pushing from a vacant strip mall and crews immediately went to work. Mutual aid was requested due to the tremendous amount of work that was needed to be performed in order to open up the structure. Oakland and Pomptom Lakes firefighters battled the fire on the C-side while Oakland, Wyckoff and Ramsey trucks openned up on the A-side. Franklin Lakes and Midland Park engine companies stretched lines to the second floor, suppressing fire while Wyckoff's truck crew openned up the interior. The smoke condition on the second floor began to bank down and Command ordered an evacuation of the second floor. Fire broke through the roof shortly after the retreat and the tower-ladders went into operation suppressing the fire from above. Once the fire was darkened down, crews moved back into the interior to finish extinguishment. Numerous mutual aid units operated on scene along with standby companies at Oakland's stations. At the height of the fire, two FAST assignments were on scene splitting duties on the A and C-sides. Once the fire was contained, mutual aid units were released, while Oakland Fire Dept. remained on scene awhile longer for the investigation and a fire watch |
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