Foam Works for
Eden-Evans Center Firefighters
MidTown --- Two recent vehicle fires were quelled with the use of water and foam by Evans Center and Eden firefighters.
September 12, 2002 - 16:00 --- Shortly following a grass fire in the median of the New York State Thruway at Milepost 445, a tractor-trailer fire was reported in the eastbound service area at milepost 447. Firefighters found a bobcat excavator burning on the back of a trailer. They were assisted at the scene by a crew from the Eden Fire Department, Angola Fire Control and Hamburg Fire Control.
September 18, 2002 - 06:17 --- A pre-dawn fire woke Evans Center firefighters to a report of a pick-up truck or small tractor-trailer burning on the New York State Thruway at the entrance to the eastbound service area around milepost 447.
Chief Dennis Allen responded to the Gowans Road Station #2 and responded Engine 2 to the eastbound side of the service area. Engine 1 responded from the Erie Road Station and entered the Thruway at the westbound service area off Inwood Avenue, taking the first turn-around and heading east back towards the service area.
Chief Allen found a well involved fire in the tandem wheels of a semi-tractor that had been disconnected and pulled away from the trailer. Engine 1's crew of Captain Tiger Schmittendorf and Firefighter Bob Corsi attacked the fire with water from Firefighter Bruce Green Sr. at the pump panel.
An engine had been requested from Eden and their Engine 1 responded along with Chief Paul Laing and Asst. Chief Matt Colvin. Once the bulk of the fire was knocked down, Eden's engine crew disconnected the nozzle from the attack line and installed Evans Center's Pro-Pak portable foam unit on the end of the hose. Firefighters Steve Skalski and Andy Huber took over and applied a thick blanket of foam on the entire rear wheel section of the semi-tractor.
Eden-Evans Center was assisted at the scene by Angola Fire Control, Hamburg Fire Control, the New York State Police, the New York State Thruway Authority and Pinto's Towing.
