Engine Company 33 Responds to Building Fire at 1000 Ritchie Road

1208 hours the call came into PSC for a large outside fire at The Waste Management building, 1000 Ritchie Road, on box 3701. First arriving Engine arrived to find a large trash pile on fire. Engine Company 23 asked for a second Engine to come to the scene. As Engine Company 37 arrived on the scene they located fire inside the building and filled the box. Engine 331 and Engine 332 as the 3rd and 4th due Engine arrived on the scene and Command (Rescue Engine 33 Captain Ricky Riley, as the VDC) instructed them to take a hydrant on side C of the building. Engine 331 dropped duel 3 inch lines to Engine 332 who made a heavy hookup on the hydrant. Engine 331’s crew advanced the 400’ pre-connect 1 ½ hose line over a chain link fence and into the D/C corner of the building attempting to locate the fire. Engine 332’s crew was assigned RIT. Command had had Truck 28 and Tower 19 take position next to Engine 331 to put a knock on the large trash pile. Engine 331 supplied Truck 28 and Tower 19, all while keeping the hand line charged. Crews operated in the single digit temperatures for over 4 hours before command scaled the incident back to 2 engines and 2 trucks.