Main Street Firefighting: Lessons from a Complex Main Street Fire

In this episode of Main Street Firefighting, get an inside look at a challenging downtown fire involving legacy brick buildings with cockloft involvement—fueled by heavy winds and complicated by unique building features like spiral staircases and metal roofing. The department’s rapid third-alarm call, strategic placement of crews at front and rear, and innovative use of a drone with thermal imaging helped identify hidden fire spots and halt the blaze’s spread. Despite resource limitations in a small city setting, strong interdepartmental coordination, disciplined radio communication, and tactical roof and hose operations kept structural collapse and loss largely in check.
The discussion also touches on the importance of passing knowledge to future firefighters and the value of training for unfamiliar, complex fires. This episode offers an invaluable case study for departments facing urban fires with legacy structures, sharing real-world strategies, and lessons learned that could save lives and property.