On Sunday morning, May 21st as Mt. Penn was wrapping up at a training burn Engine 1 was dispatched along with Spring Township(Co85) and Lower Alsace(Co4) on the second alarm to the 200 block of N. 11th St. in Reading City to assist with a structure fire. The first arriving units had nothing showing from the front but on further investigation found heavy fire to the rear of the structure. Fortunately, all of the residents were able to safely evacuate. Multiple lines were pulled for extinguishment, but the fire had gained headway and spread rapidly causing damage to several other homes before being brought under control. County units assisted with extinguishment and overhaul and were able to be released shortly after 12 noon. The cause of this fire is under investigation by the Fire Marshal.
As crews were working on the 11th St. fire Ladder 1, along with Exeter(Co25) assisted with 3 fire alarm calls at the Eisenhower Apartments on Franklin St, Centre Park Apartments on 5th St. and Washington Towers on Washington St. Fortunately, all were found to be caused by false activations of smoke detectors.
Back on home turf, just before 5:30p.m. Engine 1 was dispatched to assist Lower Alsace(Co4) with a report of wires down in the 600 block of Carsonia Ave. Arriving units found an insulator on a pole had broken free of the cross-arm and fallen onto other high voltage lines causing some serious sparking and arcing. The road was briefly closed until Met-Ed arrived and it was turned over to them for repairs.
