11/10/2008

Second Alarm Metal Fabrication Shop Fire

Yesterday my sister Karen was driving on the freeway and called me to report that she saw a large amount of smoke near 40th Street and University. We quickly grabbed our cameras and headed that way as winds were from the west at 15 to 20 miles per hour.

She called About 16:00 we got there at about 16:15, The call started as a First alarm and was upgraded to a second alarm at around 16:05. when we arrived the fire was in a medium sized metal fabrication shop just southeast of the intersection. It appeared that the roof had already collapsed and smoke was rolling out of the top of the building. Upon our arrival we parked at a nearby business, got out and started walking towards a fence that had a view of the fire. The usual overly helpful policeman immediately came over and asked if we were with the media. "No" said Chris, "Yes" said I. He then told us not to get any closer than we were as "we" meaning "he" did not know what was in there.
We took some pics and then I grabbed my press pass (yes I have one), and we moved across the street to see if we could get some better shots. We ran in to a blond woman from PFD who asked if we were with the Arizona Republic? "No, we are freelance" said I. Since we were not with the republic she deemed us not worth talking to, and moved on to the network camera crews nearby. I believe she was a PIO.
There were 3 ladders in place, Ladder 276, Ladder 272 and a third we could not see. Before we left they setup a fourth but he was pissing into the wind and not being very effective.
As we were supposed to be making Taco's for dinner and the fire was starting to be put out we headed home.... Oh yeah, here's a Humat Valve.