Laundry Room Fire Evacuates Hotel

Sat, Feb 13th, 2010 8:00:00 am - This morning, crews were dispatched on the 1 Box for an AFA at the Holiday Inn.  Initial dispatch was for an AFA which was quickly upgraded to a structure fire.  The caller on scene reports they have a fire in the laundry room and the Hotel is to be filling with smoke.  Chief 456-2 (Faleshock) was in the area and headed to the scene to set up command.  Chief 45 (Cannuli) was on Lindle Road and arrived on scene first with Engine 41 shortly behind him.  Management reported a fire in the laundry room on Side Delta of the building.  Engine 41 dropped a 5 inch supply line and Engine 49 took hydrant operations and immediately found the hydrant to be buried in the snow.  Truck 456 arrived on scene and was unable to access Side D right away due to multiple vehicles in the driveway and piled snow in the parking lot.  Chief 456-1 (Orth) along with Firefighter Koller and Firefighter Anderson, Sr. headed off to assist in the laundry room area.  Dauphin County notified command of possible entrapment on the 4th Floor.  Chief 456-1 (Orth) and his crew headed off to assist with the search of the entrapped.  Control was quickly gained in the fire room but a heavy smoke condition still existed.  The entire Hotel was filled with heavy smoke.  Chief 44 (Ibberson) assumed the evacuation command and teamed up with the 456 crew to assist in evacuation.  Two guests were assisted by firefighters to the outside of the building safely.  Evacuation command moved to the lobby and set up evacuation and assisted in the ventilation operations which was coordinated by Chief 46-3 (Fanning, Jr.).  EMS Command and Operations set up in the large meeting rooms on Side Bravo of the structure and treated over 40 patients and transported approximately 5 patients for various injuries.  It took several hours for the entire building to be cleared of the heavy smoke condition.  Special thanks to all the departments who participated in the call and for managment working so well with the fire, EMS, and police departments.  Units were on scene for approximately 4 hours.

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