We spent the night on the expressway at a tractor trailer fire….

Just after midnight at 0036 hours Station 22 Belmont Hills Fire Company, Gladwyne Volunteer Fire Company, George Clay Fire Company - Station 39 and Union Fire Association was dispatched to the Schuylkill Expressway Eastbound in the area of mile marker 333.0 for a tractor trailer on fire.

While traveling to the call in the Westbound lane, Squad 22 (Belmont HIlls) reported that the trailer was well involved in fire and the tractor had been disconnected from the trailer and was up away from the fire. Upon arrival of Chief 24 (Gladwyne) the report was confirmed and Expressway Command was established. Squad 39 (George Clay) and Engine 24 (Gladwyne) arrived in the Eastbound Lane and were advised to close the entire Eastbound lanes down for the safety of the firefighters and also to allow additional fire apparatus to respond to the scene from the East side of the incident (Hollow Road). The crews from Engine 24, Squad 22 and Squad 39 all started to extinguish the fire.

Pipeline 28(Union) and Engine 24-1 (Gladwyne) were both requested by Command to enter the highway from Hollow Road and travel Westbound in the Eastbound Lanes to provide more water to the units working to extinguish the fire.

Because there is no access to water on this stretch of the highway, 3 additional Engines from Penn Wynne Fire Company - Station 21, Merion Fire Company of Ardmore and Bryn Mawr Fire Company along with a Tanker from Paoli Fire Company(carrying 3000 gallons of water) was requested by command along with Ladder 28 (Union) to all access the highway from Hollow Road. Narberth Ambulance was dispatched to provide rehabilitation and protection of the firefighters on scene. Air 24 (Gladwyne) also responded and provided scene lighting along with filling 62 SCBA cylinders (the Air Packs the firefighters wear to protect them during the incident).

All crews worked through the night extinguishing the fire and pulling the contents of the trailer out to make sure that the fire was completely out.

Thank you to Janeway Towing for responding out to assist us on scene with opening up the trailer and cleaning up the roadway and removing the trailer from the roadway.

When it was all over, 8 engines, 1 tanker, 1 ladder truck, 1 air truck, 2 Command vehicles, 1 medic unit, 1 rehab bus, multiple State Police Troopers PA State Police, Fire Police units from Conshohocken Fire Company No. 2 and Spring Mill Fire Company No.1, police officers from West Conshohocken Police Department and Lower Merion Police Department worked throughout the night keeping the roadway closed and safe.

THANK YOU to all of the Firefighters, EMS Crews, Police Officers and Troopers, Fire Police Officers and Towing Crews that were up all night.

If this is the kind of thing that sparks interest in you, any of the Fire Companies and EMS Crews on scene would love to have you join their organization to help out as a volunteer.