05/02/12 - Carlisle Borough, PA - B Street

On Wednesday, May 2, 2012, at 2220 hours Box 45-01 sent Carlisle Borough and surrounding companies to the rear of 8 B Street for a building fire. Engine 2-41 (Union of Carlisle) arrived with heavy fire from the roof of a long, city block long, building complex. A second alarm was quickly requested, shortly followed by a special call for additional truck and RIT companies. The fire involved the former Masland/Lear Complex which is a vast industrial complex composed of a variety of vacant buildings that ranged in height from 1 to 3 stories. At the time of the fire the building was under going some renovations after recently being bought by Carlisle Events. The fire quickly traveled from the northwest portion of the complex and quickly spread south raging with explosions and ultimately resulting in collapse. Command 45 requested a third alarm to stage at Company 45's headquarters. Numerous supply lines were laid throughout the streets surrounding the complex and elevated master streams from 5 truck companies played water on the blaze for over 9 hours before the flames were extinguished enough for mop up. Several other ground monitor and big lines were put in place to protect a number of occupied dwellings situated only feet from the involved structures and took on a tremendous radiant heat. Firefighters were successful in keeping the flames from igniting the dwellings. A fourth alarm was requested for relief as companies continued to pour water on the structure as most of it had collapsed and no longer posed a threat to the other unburned buildings. In all over 150 firefighters from 5 counties converged on the scene or provided empty station coverage. Two buildings were destroyed and damage estimates are in excess of $1 million. No injuries were reported.