Cardboard Container Corporation Fire in Chicago (Caution 8 Images)

[Mills]

The Chicago Fire Department's 15th Battalion responded to an automatic fire alarm on January 7, 2007 at about 9:00 a.m. that eventually escalated to a 3-11 alarm fire in a cardboard container manufacturing company. The fire was brought under control after about two hours but companies remained on the scene until nearly 5:00 p.m. There was one rekindle at about 11:00 p.m. Only one injury was reported, a slight sprained ankle to a firefighter. The fire reportedly started as the result of a space heater being placed too close to the cardboard materials manufactured in the building. Furthermore, there was evidence that the three employees working in the building at the time the fire started attempted to extinguish the fire on their own without calling 911.

1. This was the first image that I captured of this incident, around 30 minutes after the first companies reported on the scene.

http://www.pbase.com/millz11/image/72896156.jpg

2. There was wall to wall heavy fire in the entire north half of this 200x300 bowstring truss roof structure.

http://www.pbase.com/millz11/image/72896157.jpg

3. This is from the north looking south.

http://www.pbase.com/millz11/image/72896158.jpg

4. Improvisation at its best.

http://www.pbase.com/millz11/image/72896159.jpg

5. Engine Company 49 and Squad 5Ar at work.

http://www.pbase.com/millz11/image/72896160.jpg

6. This is one of my favorite shots from this fire. Notice the sun as it is obscured by the smoke.

http://www.pbase.com/millz11/image/72896161.jpg

7. Not something you get to see often, 671, the old deluge gun truck at work.

http://www.pbase.com/millz11/image/72896162.jpg

8. Engine Company 39 operating their deck gun.

http://www.pbase.com/millz11/image/72896163.jpg

You can see 100 more images from this fire at Box Alarm Images (http://www.boxalarmimages.com), including one that shows that the Chicago Fire Department now has a Commissioner who still likes to fight for the nozzle.

[Woolburr]

Classic surround and drown...not much else you can do with one this far gone...protect the troops and exposures. Good to see 671 getting some use. Nice work.

[Mills]

Classic surround and drown...not much else you can do with one this far gone...protect the troops and exposures. Good to see 671 getting some use. Nice work.


Thanks. Check out my site. The CFD has made the switch to Bunker Gear. I just noticed you can't really see it here.

[JawsofLife252]

great shots mills, i love number 6

[Mills]

great shots mills, i love number 6

Thanks. I was lucky at this one to get some very nice shots.

[hijinks]

Great shots. The MAc truck is an old one.

[shakin360]

Great stuff! Haven't seen you post in a while. But I'm also not on here as much as I used to be or should.


Off topic- I might be looking at buying a studio sometime this year. (I hope) The building I'm interested in is an old firehouse from 1915!

[BrandonSi]

Great shots, as always!

[Medic85]

Nice work as always Mills. Keep em coming!

[Mills]

Great shots. The MAc truck is an old one.

Great stuff! Haven't seen you post in a while. But I'm also not on here as much as I used to be or should.


Off topic- I might be looking at buying a studio sometime this year. (I hope) The building I'm interested in is an old firehouse from 1915!

Great shots, as always!

Nice work as always Mills. Keep em coming!


Thanks a Ton everyone. 671 (the Mack) is old but still usefull and they are making use of it somewhat frequently at big fires like this one.

Good luck on the purchase Shakin!

[R_Metzel]

Great shots! Glad nobody else was hurt. #6 and #7 are my favs.

[Mills]

Great shots! Glad nobody else was hurt. #6 and #7 are my favs.

Thanks! You better keep your head down up there. GO BEARS!

[R_Metzel]

Thanks! You better keep your head down up there. GO BEARS!
I am deep in Packer country. I get crap for wearing anything Chicago by random strangers. This season has shut them up though!:D

[RuggerJoe]

Thanks. Check out my site. The CFD has made the switch to Bunker Gear. I just noticed you can't really see it here.

We had CFD respond to one of my buildings on the same day. I had never seen fire fighters in such clean gear. I comented to one of the guys that it looks like the whole batallion just got out of the academy. He said the bunker gear had just been delivered to them about an hour earlier.

Good to see they finally got better gear.

Great shots as usual. I had never seen 671 before. Interesting little truck. Do you know where you can find info online about the different apparatus? Oh and I missed the shot of the Commissioner fighting for the nozzle, which was it?

[Chris]

Yeah, I like number 6 the best too. Fire, fireman, fireball stacked one on top of the other

[Richtherookie]

Great shots, I like 2 and 6 best. Number 2 makes me wonder is that two stories tall w/o a floor? I tend to shy away from an internal attack with that much flame. I also noted how the building is cracking in the 3rd window. Great pictures though. Shows that fire fighters don't sit around and wash trucks all day!

[Mills]

Great shots, I like 2 and 6 best. Number 2 makes me wonder is that two stories tall w/o a floor? I tend to shy away from an internal attack with that much flame. I also noted how the building is cracking in the 3rd window. Great pictures though. Shows that fire fighters don't sit around and wash trucks all day!


Thanks! The interior attack was abandoned very early due to the Bowstring Truss Roof. Not sure exactly how it was layed out inside. The handlines towards the end were used to protect the firewall and keep the fire from spreading to the other half. Sounds like you are on the Job. I hope from my images that people understand better just how hard this job is. For a Firefighter, "Another Day at the Office" takes on a hole new meaning.

[Fyerfytr]

Thanks! The interior attack was abandoned very early due to the Bowstring Truss Roof. Not sure exactly how it was layed out inside. The handlines towards the end were used to protect the firewall and keep the fire from spreading to the other half. Sounds like you are on the Job. I hope from my images that people understand better just how hard this job is. For a Firefighter, "Another Day at the Office" takes on a hole new meaning.

Some great pics in box alarm, what brand of gear is that?
In Des Moines have just switched to the Morning Pride Black.

Mark

[JawsofLife252]

It's Janesville.

[Fyerfytr]

It's Janesville.

Ok thanks, didn't look familiar.

[HarrisonClicks]

Great shots! Certainly a bigger job than the arcing wire on a tree we ran yesterday. :confused:.