Cross Hill Road Structure Fire
 
By Captain Timothy Mentrasti, Photos By:Alan Zale
March 17, 2016
 

Just after 3am Hartsdale dispatch was alerted by a resident of Cross Hill Road that her house was filling with smoke and could possibly be on fire. Hartsdale dispatched Car 2172, Engine 169, Tower Ladder 15 with an engine from Greenville for a reported structure fire. Engine 170 was already operating at a Medical emergency on East Hartsdale Avenue and would be delayed. Based upon the potential delay along with the nature of the call the desk watch firefighter used discretion to start out an engine from Fairview as well. Car 2172 arrived and reported smoke in the house with an alarm sounding. Moments after arrival a 10-75 (working fire) was transmitted which added Scarsdale FD's F.A.S.Team and White Plains Tower Ladder 6. First arriving Hartsdale units stretched an attack line and attempted to locate the source of the fire. The fire was quickly located in the area between the ceiling and roof. Hartsdale members along with mutual aid units tackled the labor intensive task of pulling down ceilings to expose the hidden fire. Multiple hand lines were stretched and operated during the height of the incident. At one point during the operation the Engine 170 captain backed the members out of the room in the rear due to conditions and a sagging ceiling. Moments after the crews were backed to a safer position a large section of ceiling came down exactly where the crews had previously been operating. The fire was brought under control in just over an hour. Hartsdale personnel would remain on scene still just before 8am conducting salvage, overhaul, and clean up.

Hartsdale was assisted by Greenville, Fairview, Scarsdale and White Plains at the scene..

With Eastchester and Elmsford providing station coverage. Photo by Alan

During this incident Car 2173 and Elmsford Engine 237 handled a medical emergency.

Along with just following the release of Engines 169, 171, and TL-15 those units would handle two motor vehicle accidents one with a pedestrian struck and one with a car into a building

 
Units: Car 2171, 2172, 2173, 2174, Engine 169, Engine 170, Engine 171, Tower Ladder 15
 
Mutual Aid: Engine 150, Engine 175, Ladder 28 F.A.S.T. Tower Ladder 6.