At 1:47 AM, PF&R was called out to a “large fire” in the parking lot of a U-HAUL truck rental location on the corner of SE 48th and Powell. The first arriving engine took command and noted that there were 3-4 box trucks in the center of the parking lot fully engulfed in flames and directed the crews begin stretching hose lines and offensively attack the fire and prevent the spread to adjacent trucks and then outbuildings associated with the property.
The next arriving officer was able to investigate by walking within the parking lot to see that the tight parking of all the box trucks on site was going to make firefighting activities difficult. The physical spaces between the trucks were so small a firefighter with their air bottle on would not be able to walk between the trucks to get to the fire burning in the middle of the lot. The decision was made to position a truck on the northern flank to use as an aerial attack to prevent the spread of fire throughout the parking lot and into the neighboring structures. The parking lot was filled with various sizes of rental trucks parked 14” apart with the tailboard of one truck nearly touching the front bumper of the truck behind to help paint a picture of how tight spaces were making moving bodies and hoses quite difficult.
As the first arriving fire truck was repositioning, the arriving chief took command and asked for a second alarm assignment to provide enough firefighters on scene to prevent the fire spread if the use of the aerial water stream was not able to contain the fire and prevent the exposures from becoming in danger. Crews on the ground continued to focus stretching multiple hose lines off the pumping engine to get water onto the fire and protect the exposures “from all flanks”.
The fire truck was in place and aerial ladder set up with the required pumping engine attached to a fire hydrant having dry hose lines connected between the rigs. The truck officer radioed to the command post that they were ready to flow water but the crews working within the box trucks would need to withdraw so they could safely flow water from above. Radio reports from the ground crews indicated that they had been able to control the fire without the use of the aerial ladder pipe and all the exposures, including the neighboring U-HAUL trucks, were safely protected and much of the fire had been extinguished.
The command officer released all second alarm companies except the Rehab Rig to provide air, drinking water, and nourishment to the crews working on scene. Minutes later the fire was completely under control and the crews began to break down the number of resources needed to finish extinguishment of the fire. U-HAUL personnel from the location were on site to aid in moving the trucks not affected by fire to allow for easier mobility in and around the box trucks on fire which required fewer companies on scene to finish up the firefighting process.
This fire is currently under investigation and there were no reported injuries.
