IGA Grocery Store Fire - December 20, 1992
Compiled by Mike Legeros
Created November 25, 2013
Last updated August 23, 2017
Contents
- Introduction
- Incident Summary
- Photographs
- Video Footage
Incident Summary
Introduction
Sectors are 1 (front), 2 (inside), 3 (rear), 4 (left), 5 (right),
6 (roof), 7 (staging).
First Alarm
- IGA Grocery Store at 718 N. Person Street.
- E3, E7, T1, R7, C52 dispatched at 11:34 p.m.
- Engine 3 arriving.
- Smoke showing from rear of store around room-mounted
air-condition units upon arrival.
- C52 records heavy smoke conditions throughout and all
around building.
- Engine 3 declares Code 3, results in automatic dispatch of
second alarm, and other operational steps.
Second Alarm
- E4, E11, T11, R6, C51 dispatched at 11:39 p.m.
- Crews attempt to force door in rear of building.
- Two crews (with two hand lines) enter front of store at
approximately 11:55 p.m.
- Engine 3 supplies hand lines to front door.
- Engine 11 supplies hand lines to Sector 5 (right of building).
- Attack crew notices ceiling tiles on floor indicating fire
overheard.
- Volume of fire grows and moves to front of store.
- Two crews inside unable to extinguish fire.
- Command changes to aerial operations using three aerials.
- Fire begins showing [outside of building?] at
approximately 11:53 p.m.
- Truck 1 (snorkel) positions to Sector 4 (left of
building), supplied by Engine 7, and operates master stream onto roof.
Third Alarm
- E16, E6, T16 dispatched at 12:07 a.m.
- Crews ordered to withdraw from building at approximately
12:10 a.m.
- Additional truck companies establish master streams at
front and right side of building.
- Engine 6 supplies Truck 16 for about two hours, from
hydrant at corner of Franklin and Blount streets.
- Hand lines required to cool apparatus from radiant heat.
- Mansard-style canopy on three sides of building becomes
fully involved and collapses into parking lot.
Rescue
- Rescue 7 arrives on first alarm, helps with fire
suppression. Notes Rescue 6 set up rehab.
- Rescue 6 arrives on second alarm. Assists with entry,
suppression, overhaul, rehab.
Leaving the Scene
- T1 in service, 2:08 a.m.
- E4 in service, 2:15 a.m.
- E16, T16 in service at 3:17 a.m.
- R6 in service, 3:36 a.m.
- E11 in service, 3:54 a.m.
- E6 in service at 3:57 a.m.
- T11 in service, 4:28 a.m.
- R7 in service, 5:11 a.m.
- E7 in service, 8:51 a.m.
Relief Companies
- C53 fills in at Station 1, 11:45 p.m.
- E13 reports to Station 11, 11:52 p.m.
- E14 reports to scene for overhaul, 3:01 a.m.
- E1 arrives on scene for relief, 3:08 a.m.
- E1 fills in for Engine 3 at Station 3, 3:25 a.m.
- E14 fills in for Engine 7 at Station 7, 3:45 a.m.
- E13 back at Station 1, 3:54 a.m.
- C53 takes command on scene, 5:55 a.m.
- E14 back at Station 14, 8:00 a.m.
Day After
- E3, T1, R7, C52 return to fire scene.
- Other companies to training center (E7, E11), for hose washing.
- Crews do not re-enter until following day.
- Store and contents are total loss.
- Five sections of five-inch hose and a pick-head axe from Engine 3
are lost.
- Two two-inch nozzles from Engine 3 are damaged.
- Fire units released from fire scene at 5:30 p.m. Police provide
security.
Causalities, Units
- Three firefighters are injured and treated on the scene for smoke
inhalation.
- E3, E7, T1, R7, C52, E4, E11, T11, R6, C51, E6, E16, T16, E1
relief, E14 relief, C1, C2, C3, C10.
Investigation
- Investigation continues on second day after fire, December 22.
- Engine 13 and Z. Overton from Station 1 assist Car 198, that
morning and early afternoon.
- Area of origin narrowed to ceiling space in rear of store.
- Due to extensive damage, source not identified.
- Arson ruled out.
Sources
- Oral histories.
- Newspaper articles.
- Raleigh Fire Department official records, including station log
books.
Photographs
![](images/1992-12-20-iga-fire-01-jh.jpg)
Jeff Harkey, Raleigh Fire
Department photo unit.
![](images/1992-12-20-iga-fire-02-jh.jpg)
Jeff Harkey, Raleigh Fire
Department photo unit.
![](images/1992-12-20-iga-fire-03-jh.jpg)
Jeff Harkey, Raleigh Fire
Department photo unit.
![](images/1992-12-20-iga-fire-04-jh.jpg)
Jeff Harkey, Raleigh Fire
Department photo unit.
![](images/1992-12-20-iga-fire-05-jh.jpg)
Jeff Harkey, Raleigh Fire
Department photo unit.
![](images/1992-12-20-iga-fire-06-jh.jpg)
Jeff Harkey, Raleigh Fire
Department photo unit.
![](images/1992-12-20-iga-fire-07-jh.jpg)
Jeff Harkey, Raleigh Fire
Department photo unit.
![](images/1992-12-20-iga-fire-08-jh.jpg)
Jeff Harkey, Raleigh Fire
Department photo unit.
![](images/1992-12-20-iga-fire-09-jh.jpg)
Jeff Harkey, Raleigh Fire
Department photo unit.
![](images/1992-12-20-iga-fire-10-jh.jpg)
Jeff Harkey, Raleigh Fire
Department photo unit.
![](images/1992-12-20-iga-fire-11-jh.jpg)
Jeff Harkey, Raleigh Fire
Department photo unit.
![](images/1992-12-20-iga-fire-12-no.jpg)
John Rottet, News & Observer.
![](images/1992-12-20-iga-fire-13-no.jpg)
News & Observer.
![](images/1992-12-20-iga-fire-14-no.jpg)
News & Observer.
![](images/1992-12-20-iga-fire-15-no.jpg)
News & Observer.
Video Footage
Copyright 2023 by Michael J. Legeros