The videos, above, and immediately below, are helmet-cam videos from andrew slavin taken as offensive operations were under way during a fire in a former restaurant yesterday (Saturday) in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania (Allegheny County). The airhorns sound at about 1:40 in the second video.
According to news reports, during the interior attack there were multiple maydays when as many as seven firefighters became trapped (more details below). Three firefighters were injured during the fire.
More video below from Steven Matto and others.
Matthew Santoni, TribLive.com:
A fire Saturday leveled a former Italian restaurant on Allegheny River Boulevard in Penn Hills and temporarily trapped firefighters inside before all got out safely.
Flames and smoke consumed the two-story building that once housed Vicino Ristorante Italiano. The fire started about 2 p.m. Authorities closed Allegheny River Boulevard between Sandy Creek Road and Washington Boulevard.
Firefighters had left and Allegheny River Boulevard was reopened for only a short time before the fire re-kindled at about 10:35, according to Allegheny County 911 supervisors. Police once again shut down the roadway in the area around the fire.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr3XOaDUrCc
Seven firefighters went inside only to find themselves trapped in the basement.
“Unfortunately, this building has a sub-basement we did not know about. The fire was underneath of us and we didn’t know,” Fire Chief of Penn Hills Station 221 Shawn Snyder said. “We did effectively have to call two maydays for multiple crews that were trapped inside and we got them out thank God.”
Three firefighters were injured. Two were among the firefighters trapped. One injured their hand and another had some minors burns to the neck. The third firefighter was taken to the hospital by paramedics.
“They transported one who got pretty substantial facial burns when they were trying to get this truck out of the way from burning,” Snyder said.
The heat was so intense a ladder truck costing $1 million was damaged. The same with a $600,000 rescue pumper.
Penn Hills FirePosted by Ken Lager Photography on Sunday, March 27, 2016
It was a dangerous blaze that even forced firefighters to evacuate. TONIGHT on Channel 11 News at 11, we will share the same radio calls that emergency teams used as they fought today’s massive fire in Penn Hills. http://on.wpxi.com/25qnkIR
Posted by WPXI-TV Pittsburgh on Saturday, March 26, 2016
Penn Hills fire. More to come later.
Posted by Ken Lager Photography on Saturday, March 26, 2016
From the fire at Vicino, on Allegheny River Blvd today, wow you got some amazing shots Steve
Posted by Beth Ritter Bovo on Saturday, March 26, 2016
*BREAKING* MAJOR FIRE OUT OF PENN HILLS, PA W/ MAYDAY THAT HAS BEEN CLEAREDhttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cef5ACLUYAAGCqZ.jpg:large
Posted by Alertpage on Saturday, March 26, 2016
Posted by Frank Sulzer on Saturday, March 26, 2016
Strong work by all Stations involved in the Penn Hills incident yesterday!Speedy recovery to our Brother’s who…
Posted by Pittsburgh Metro FOOLs on Sunday, March 27, 2016
