On Thursday, August 10, 2006 at approximately 7:52 p.m. Allegheny 9-1-1 received several reports of a top floor of a building on fire, located at 1717 Lowrie Street in the Troy Hill neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh. Initial reports indicated that there may be someone trapped in the structure. The following units were dispatched on the zone 1-4 assignment; 32 Engine, 38 Engine, 3 Engine, 32 Truck, 4021 (District Battalion Chief), 7 Engine (Go Team), 4023 (Safety Chief), MAC-1 (Mobile Cascade Unit), Rescue 2 and Medic 4.

While units were responding to the scene, 614 (Training Academy Chief) was traveling on Route 28, which is located below the Troy Hill neighborhood, and advised the responding units that he could see a large plume of smoke in the distance. First arriving unit reported heavy smoke issuing from the 3rd floor of a three-story brick structure, which consist of an ice cream store on the 1st floor with apartments on the upper floors. The structure also had a 2 ½ story frame addition on the sector 3 side.

The crew of 32 Truck was advised that all occupants had self evacuated, however a male occupant from the fire sustained smoke inhalation and minor burns. Paramedics were directed to the injured male, who was across the street from the burning structure. Command requested a 2nd alarm assignment at 7:59 p.m. The following units were dispatched on the 2nd alarm; 6 Engine, 4 Engine, 6 Truck, 402 (Deputy Chief Large) and 614 (Training Academy Chief). Initial crews advanced 1 ¾” up to the 3rd floor of the structure, where they encountered very heavy fire and smoke conditions.

Crews initiated an aggressive interior attack. Support crews advanced additional 1 ¾” attack lines to the 3rd floor to assist with suppression efforts. 32 Truck was positioned on the 1-4 corners of the structure and set up for aerial operations. Intense dark smoke rapidly pushed throughout the 3rd floor, as the fire made significant headway into structural elements of the 3rd floor and roof area. Interior crews advised command that conditions were rapidly deteriorating, as they had heavy volume of fire above and below their position on the 3rd floor. Command ordered all crews out of the structure at approximately 8:06 p.m.

Command requested a 3rd alarm assignment for additional manpower and water supply at approximately 8:07 p.m. The following units were dispatched on the 3rd alarm; 37 Engine, 10 Engine and Unit 40 (Assistant Chief). A full scale defensive attack was established, utilizing numerous large caliber streams from 2 ½” attack lines, as well as elevated master streams from 32 Truck and 6 Truck. As the fire raged out of control and the threat of structural collapse imminent, a collapse zone was established.

Command requested that the City of Pittsburgh Water supervisor respond to the scene with grid maps, in efforts to locate water supply beyond the immediate grid, to be able to provide the amount of water needed to supply the high gallonage attack. Command also requested that 24 Engine respond out of 4 Engine’s quarters to the scene, with the water notebooks from the Deputy Chief’s office, to help aid in locating the additional water supply in the area. Crews continued to pour copious amounts of water onto and into the building, in efforts to darken the heavy volume of fire and to keep the fire contained to the building of origin.

At approximately 8:40 a.m. Command reported that they had a partial collapse of a wall on the sector 2 side of the structure. Command also reported that the roof had collapsed into the structure. All crews have been accounted for. Crews had the main bulk of the fire knocked down by approximately 9:15 p.m. Crews continued to pour water into the building for several hours until the last flicker of flame was darkened. Command placed the fire under control at approximately 10:55 p.m. Crews remained on the scene for an extended period of time dousing hot spots.

Salvation Army personnel were on the scene with their mobile canteen unit, providing food and beverages to emergency personnel. American Red Cross personnel were at the scene assisting several displaced occupants, by providing them with food, clothing and temporary shelter. The City of Pittsburgh Arson Squad was called to the scene to investigate the fire, which caused an estimated $200,000 in damages.