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Two alarms were struck at the Raleigh Convention Center at 500 S. Salisbury Street on Monday night, December 1, 2025. Dispatched at ~9:29 p.m., the first-arriving units were from nearby Station 1 on South Dawson Street. Ladder 1 was first-arriving, reporting a working fire, and requesting a second alarm. Narrative notes are below. 

Run Card

• First Alarm – E13 E1 E3 E2 L1 L6 R16 B2 B3 ISO14
• Added – E5
• Working Fire – A10 DC1 INV1 B5
• Second Alarm – E6 E8 L14 L15 Sq7 Rehab 12
• Added A28, Chief Investigator, Asst. Chief Logistics, E16 (relief)
• EMS – M25 M71 M73 M78 M909 EMS83 D3 D7
• WC1

Narrative Notes 

From radio traffic and other reports:

• Dispatched ~9:29 p.m. for 500 S. Salisbury Street, Raleigh Convention Center. Block-sized building with ~500K square-feet.
• Headquarters to Battalion 2, we are receiving multiple callers.
• “You can upgrade it.”
• Ladder 1 reporting a header from South Dawson Street.
• Ladder 1 first-arriving. Working fire. Heavy fire on roof.
• Immediately requested a second alarm.
   
• Ladder 1 reported “entire roof division on fire.”
• Engine 1 connected to FDC, crews went inside to start standpipe connections.
• Ladder 1 set-up on McDowell Street (with reserve, rear-mount), made initial fire attack.
   
• Request for police to establish additional one-block perimeter around building.
• Fire was running the entire length of the roof.
• Light smoke in building, no fire through the roof.
• Fire reportedly gas-fed.
   
• Battalion 2 with command.
• Command post at corner of Cabarrus and McDowell.
• Second alarm staging in parking lot opposite Poole’s diner, on McDowell at Cabarrus.
   
• Two ladders raised, Ladder 1 (on reserve) and Ladder 14 from McDowell Street side. (But only Ladder 1 flowing, correct?)
   
• EMS with four transport units staged at nearby EMS main station.
   
• Majority of fire knocked down in ~25 minutes.
• Control time 10:29 p.m.
   
• Building was occupied by about a dozen security and staff members.
• No events were taking place at the time of the fire.
• No injuries were reported.

Hydrants

• Lenoir Street, mid-block – Engine 1 to FDC
• McDowell Street, mid-block – Ladder 1 (on reserve)
• Salisbury Street at Cabarrus – Connected but not charged?

Photo Credits

Left, screengrab from video posted by Raleigh Downtown on Facebook. 

Middle, street level from Raleigh Professional Fire Fighters Association posting on Facebook. 

Top right, aerial view from Raleigh Downtown on Facebook. 

Bottom right, street level from Legeros. See more photos.

Radio Transcription

All times are approximate, using timestamps from Broadcastify and OpenMHz.  

9:31:10 – “Battalion 2, we’re getting multiple calls.”

9:31:15 – “You can go ahead and upgrade it.”

9:31:21 – Ladder 1 reported header from South Dawson

9:31:35 – Ladder 1 arrived, reported working fire, requested second alarm.

9:32:07 – Engine 1 arrived.

9:31:21 – “Headquarters from Battalion 2, you can go ahead with the next alarm.”

9:32:38 – E3 arrived, going to Cabarrus Street side.

9:32:44 – E13 on scene, will be with E1 for fire attack.

9:33:23 – Command (L1) to all units, L1 setting up on South McDowell.

9:34:13 – E2 has two separate headers, heavy dark smoke, from the roof.

9:34:51 – E2 on scene.

9:35:03 – HQ, can you advise RPD to give us additional one block radius around the convention center, block all traffic.

9:35:40 – E_ going to stairwell at Lenoir and McDowell.

9:37:01 – E1 driver to command, FDC has been charged.

9:37:14 – Headquarters from Air 28.

9:37:43 – B2 says, second alarm staging will be the large parking lot across from Poole’s Diner.

9:38:03 – L6 on scene.

9:38:19 – Sq7 on scene.

9:38:23 – E5 on scene.

9:38:26 – E8 on scene, Lenoir.

9:39:04 – E1 are you interior? I have access to the fire from the aerial.

9:39:10 – E1 is right inside the door, hooking up to the standpipe before we open this double door on the roof.

9:39:20 – <something> attack <something>. Gimme water, Jimmy.

9:39:30 – 9:39:50 – E1 giving directions on how to reach the roof.

9:39:57 – L1 is making fire attack. Got water on the fire. Entire roof division is on fire.

9:40:08 – E1 operator to interior crews, you have established FDC at this time.

9:40:24 –E3 (?) says an access door is locked, having to make forcible entry.

9:40:44 – E1 operator to E3, I’m sending you key cards with your crew.

9:40:54 – R16 arrived.

9:41:20 – B2 has arrived by this time, establishing a command post location.

9:42:12 – B2 asking, is the fire confined to the roof or through the roof.

9:42:17 – L1 replies, fire is on the roof. They’ve made a good attack on the fire from the aerial. But it’s running <something> to the roof.

9:43:18 – B2 copies, you have a gas-fed fire. B2 is assuming command. Have a large convention center with fire on the roof. L1 looks like you have made significant progress. Have E1 E13 in Division 2. Who else do you have on the roof with you? Also, confirming you’re calling McDowell Street the Alpha side. (L1 says, correct.) Command post is Cabarrus and McDowell. E2 is our RIT team.

9:45:41 – Gas is secured, is that what they said?

9:45:46 – L14 at Cabarrus and McDowell, setting up. B2 says, we’re going to move the BC car for you, L14.

9:45:57 – E3 is par 3 working under E1 officer. E5 par 2 also working under E1 officer.

9:46:31 – Sq 7 (? Spanky?) to L14, we got a hydrant right behind us.

9:46:55 – Garbled some. L1 has got the bulk of fire knocked down on Alpha side, where the handlines are. I got visual on <garbled>

9:47:12 – B2 asks L6 their status and location. L6 is on Salisbury Street side, Division A or outside division. B2 needs a primary search on Division 2. Squad 7 can you assist, I think she says.

9:48:26 – L1 talking with another crew, E1 maybe, about seeing some fire, trying to hit it, maybe with master stream. “Can’t really get much of a visual.”

9:48:50 – Someone to L1, …”guys on the roof.” “I’ve got my eyes on them right now, I’ve got the nozzle going away from them.”

9:50:01 – Someone says, I got a shot at the fire you all are looking at right there.

9:51:21 – Copy, E2 is supplying L14.

9:51:29 – Air 10 en route.

9:53:01 – RIT equipment has been staged at Division 3 stairwell access to roof, corner of Lenoir and McDowell.

9:53:33 – Roof division reports that the first level of the roof, with all HVAC equipment, that fire can be marked under control.

9:53:48 – B2 copies roof division report, but that the gas-fed fire is not under control. What resources do you need on the roof. Thinks they’re good, just need spare bottles.

9:54:23 – Air 28 on scene, staging McDowell and Cabarrus.

9:56:01 – E1 has transferred roof division fire attack to E8 officer, E1 going inside building for bottles.

9:56:20 – Rehab 12 on scene, where do you want me? B2 gives directions and location.

9:56:49 – Sq 7 to command, search of Division 2 completed, all clear. B2 acknowledges, primary and secondary searches of Division 2 are all clear.

9:57:04 – E6 to command, you have five-inch supply line coming down the hill to supply L14.

9:57:30 – L1 to command, remaining fire attack is happening at this time, no more need to for everybody, they’re going to put the ladder down.

9:57:44 – E13 entering structure par 3.

9:58:00 – Sq 7 followed the hose up to the roof division, standing by to assist if needed.

9:58:20 – B2 to B3, she has L14 standing by, do you need them to assist you? [Where was B3?] [Shlink, riding the car?]

9:59:04 – E3 par 3 on Lenoir Street, getting bottles, going back up.

9:59:25 – Roof division is still working on hot spots on the roof. Garbled. Cutting back sections of roof? Gas-fed fire has been controlled?

9:59:50 – L1 has R16, Sq7, E8, E2 are with L1 in roof division.

10:00:07 – L14, bring tools with you, I don’t know what kind of [garbled] that we’ll face. Security guard will let you kno.

10:01:01 – PAR check.

E3…
E8… par _ roof division, also E5 Sq7 E13 R16
E1… headed back to roof division
E3… banquet (?) division, with E2 L6
L14… at/in front of Red Hat
E6… par __, Delta side
E2… par 3, banquet (?) division

10:02:46 – A10 arrived, McDowell and Lenoir.

10:02:51 – Gas company has arrived.

10:05:07 – B2 to roof division, are you good with two ladders, four ladders, [garbled]

10:05:57 – L15 can return to service.

10:06:07 – _____________ set up at Cabarrus and McDowell.

10:09:26 – E3 E5 E2 all coming down.

10:09:42 – B3 talking about hot spots, areas they still can’t reach, can you send one of those access cards up, a lot of places we can’t get into it.

10:10:17 – E13 has gas company person with him, he’s on the phone, still trying to locate where the gas main is.

10:11:10 – Sq 7 and R16 are in the roof division. Might need another company to help pull back some of the roof from the edge.