Two Alarms on Wallingford Drive

Two alarms were struck this morning at 5051 Wallingford Drive. Dispatched 5:07 a.m. Engine 19 arriving at a two-story, garden-style apartment building with 10,356 square feet and eight units. Built 1985. Heavy smoke showing from the front of the structure. Transitional attack to start, then interior operations plus exterior blitz monitors for exposures. Second alarm …

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Glenwood Towers – Major Fires and Fatal Fires

While we’re still reflecting on the Glenwood Towers high-rise fire from last week, let’s look at the historical perspective. What other major fires–and fatal fires–have happened since it opened in 1971? Fatal Fires Feb. 2, 2003Philip George Moultrie, 55Fifth-floor apartment. Victim found on living room floor. Pronounced dead on the scene. Apparently started by smoking. Dispatched …

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Two Alarms on Brook Knoll Place

On Sunday, October 28, two alarms were struck on Brook Knoll Place, in a townhouse complex around the corner from Falls of Neuse and Wake Forest Roads. Dispatched 6:43 a.m. Upgraded to working fire and second alarm, while units were en route, based on number of callers. Engine 15 arrived at a three-story townhouse with …

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Three Alarms at Glenwood Towers

  Last updated November 3, 2018 See more Legeros photos Contents Historical Perspective Summary Details Historical Perspective See this subsequent blog post about major fires and fatal fires at Glenwood Towers.  Summary Three alarms were dispatched at 509 Glenwood Avenue on Friday, October 26, 2018. Dispatched 12:55 p.m. as fire alarm. Heavy smoke on ninth …

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Hurricane Florence Photo Galleries

Here are my galleries on SmugMug, of pictures before, during, and after Hurricane Florence, as things happened around Raleigh. Ergo, lots of pics of preparations, and after-storm actions. Exactly one incident, wires on fire, during the worst of the local weather.  And may add a few more bits and pieces, in the coming weeks, as …

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Responding to Fran – September 1996

As Hurricane Florence approaches, many in Raleigh are remembering Fran from 22 years ago. The storm struck the city with hurricane-force winds on Thursday night, September 5, 1996.  During a three-day period, the Raleigh Fire Department answered nearly 700 calls, with call types ranging from fires (46) and medical emergencies (142), to flooding (33) and trees …

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Two Alarms on Settle In Lane

Two alarms were struck at 2925 Settle In Lane on Thursday morning, in northeast Raleigh. Dispatched 10:08 a.m. for city companies plus Wake Forest Engine 5 as auto-aid. Wake Forest Engine 5 and B1 were first-arriving at a two-story multi-family residential building, with 1,648 square-feet in unit, and six units in building. Built 2007. Heavy …

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Fraternity Fires in Chapel Hill – 1909 to 2001

This posting was originally posted on Facebook, on the Chapel Hill Fire Department Retirees & History page. Every part of a community is invariably impacted by fire. And as the clock is turned back, toward simpler times with fewer priorities on life safety and fire prevention, the numbers of destructive blazes invariably rise. Here’s a list …

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Four Shelby Firefighters Killed in Explosion, May 25, 1979

Update April 11, 2019 – Though initially suspected as caused by a natural gas explosion, it was later eliminated by investigators. Instead, they suspect a backdraft caused the explosion. See the detailed OSFM retrospective below. Updated this posting headline, changing “gas explosion” to “explosion” to reflect that important clarification.  This retrospective first appeared on FireNews.net …

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