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Pinellas Park fire beat
| Article published on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009 |
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PINELLAS PARK - Pinellas Park firefighters responded to a total of 1,128 calls during the month of October. There were 137 vehicle crashes, 43 fires, 635 public education contacts and 9 smoke alarms installed. The average response time for the month was 4 minutes, 37 seconds.
Included in the emergency calls were:
• Oct. 8: Structure fire at 7327 59th St. at 4:05 p.m. Engine 33 responded to a two-story, multi-family dwelling with smoke visible from the second floor. The apartment was unoccupied at the time. The fire was located in the kitchen and extinguished. The power had recently been turned on by new tenants. Apparently, a stove burner that had been left on ignited a stack of phone books sitting on top of the stove. The burning books fell off the stove and burned through the floor. A neighbor saw smoke coming from the apartment and called 911. The apartment was not equipped with smoke alarms. No injuries were reported. Damage to the unit was about $18,000.
• Oct. 10: Vehicle fire at 8900 U.S. 19 at 2:35 a.m. Engine 33 responded to a vehicle fire in the parking lot of Calvary Church on U.S. 19. Upon arrival firefighters found a Dodge Neon in the parking lot with a small fire near the rear of the vehicle. The fire was extinguished with a water fire extinguisher. Firefighters discovered that someone had stuffed a burning rag into the gas tank opening. The fire caused about $2,500 in damage to the vehicle. The incident is considered suspicious and is under investigation.
• Oct. 16: Structure fire at 6698 69th Ave. 3:34 a.m. Units from Station 33, 34 and 35 responded to an early morning house fire on 69th Avenue. Heavy smoke and flames were reported on arrival. The fire was extinguished within 15 minutes. Two people inside the home escaped prior to the fire department’s arrival. One occupant was transported to a local hospital for possible smoke inhalation. The house was heavily damaged in the blaze and was not equipped with smoke alarms. The fire is considered suspicious and is under investigation.
• Oct. 19: Structure fire at 9790 66th St. at 6:19 a.m. Units from Stations 35, 34, and 33 responded to a house fire in the Clearwater Cascades community. Upon arrival firefighters found a mobile home fully involved. The fire was under control in about 15 minutes. The owner of the home reported that he had been boiling water on the stove and had left the kitchen for a few minutes. When he returned, he saw that the kitchen curtains were on fire. He left and went to a neighbor’s house to call 911. The home sustained severe damage and was considered a total loss. The blaze also damaged a kit car in the carport, and melted some of the siding on a nearby mobile home.
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Article published on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009
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