Monday, December 19, 2011 On Monday afternoon 12/19/2011 the New Castle County Fire Board began
receiving numerous calls for a townhouse fire on West Boxborough Drive
in the Ballymeade development off Naamans Road.  Claymont and
neighboring fire companies from New Castle County and Delaware County
(PA) were dispatched at 1429 hours.  At 1434 the first engine from
Claymont arrived with one townhouse fully involved and fire spreading
to adjoining townhouses.  A second alarm was transmitted at 1437.  A
major structural collapse occurred at 1448 with a firefighter
declaring a "Mayday" subsequent to the collapse.  A third alarm was
transmitted and the incident commander spent the next few minutes
verifying all on-scene firefighters were accounted for.  Thankfully
this was the case.

In addition to numerous companies committed to the fire, other
companies were being dispatched to cover depleted fire stations in
northern New Castle County.  Tower 19 was requested at 1509 to cover
Claymont's station along with Engine 165 (Elsmere) and Rescue-Pumper
216 (Mill Creek).  Tower 19 and a crew of six under the command of
Deputy 19 (Broadwater) was soon in Claymont along with 165, 216, and
Deputy 12 (Perillo).

A call for a motor vehicle crash on Darley Road was handled by 216,
then at 1759 the incident commander at Ballymeade requested 165 and
Tower 19 to the fire scene to relieve personnel from the initial
arriving companies.  Upon arrival, Tower 19 was backed into West
Boxborough Drive and positioned for aerial operations.  Tower 19's
crew spent the next 2.5 hours assisting with overhaul and wetdown of
the original fire building and exposures, clearing the scene at 2044.

Tower 19 crew: Roat (driver), Broadwater (officer), Saienni,
DelSignore, Gerard, Scholl Jr.





Story and Photo's by: Deputy Chief Broadwater