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Four minutes later they pulled up in front of the store. A column of smoke extended into the night sky.
"Everybody safe," Hank called.
"Everybody safe," they all called in response.
"Now let's get the hoses on this fast. I'm calling another alarm in."
That meant Hatfield station would give mutual aid. Already several volunteer firemen pulled up. And Engine One's sirens could be heard in the back ground.
"FD2 and FD3 start initial attack. FD...uh, Coop, catch the hydrant for me." Hank stood at the controls, flicking switches and then grabbing his own SCBA and helmet. It would be all hands on deck for this one.
Eva hooked her accountability tag on the cone and went to help Dutch with the hoses. The much needed snorkel truck pulled up and Moon clambered out. The snorkel could get the water onto the top of the building and do the most work to knock down the blaze that was visible through the windows of the store.
"Okay, let's be careful. This could get hot,"Hank said into his mic.
Dutch and Eva lugged the hose toward the front of the building. Several volunteer firefighters had suited up and were ascertaining the perimeter. The fire looked to be the strongest near the closed garage, which was very near where the office was located. "We need to clear the building. Anyone talk to Jimbo?" Dutch asked.
Eva and Dutch started the initial attack using the Halligan tool to break the glass of the locked front door. Dutch reached through and twisted the lock, swinging the door open. Eva ducked her head inside and said, ''We got flames, several columns of tires burning. Lotsa smoke. No visual past twelve feet. No visual on the office."
Eva could hear her own breath. Like Darth Vader. The place was hot, the fire bright, but the smoke was inky dark, preventing them from seeing much. The window that showcased the attached mechanic's bay was dark with smoke, but Eva could see the flames inside. Fear flirted with determination in her gut.
"Let's get that water in to the left, FD3," Hank barked.
"FD2, clear office. Dispatch cannot locate owner." Eva knew what that meant. Jimbo and his wife were known for their epic battles, and Jimbo often slept on the couch in his office with a fifth of Jim Beam to keep him company. He'd set off the fire alarm two previous times on such an occasion. Chances were good Jimbo was in the office.
Which meant Eva had no time to spare. She had to get to that office.
"Make me a path, FD3," Eva said into her radio. Faithful to his reputation as a man who could knock down a path, Dutch diverted his stream from the bay area and focused on a path to the office door, which lay beyond the wraparound service desk. The office had all the shades closed on the windows, and when Eva reached the office door, she could feel the tremendous heat surrounding her.
Just as she twisted the doorknob, a wall of fire flared to her right.
Dutch swiveled, fighting the blaze.
Overhead, Eva felt the water pouring down from the snorkel truck. She used the Halligan tool to break the glass as Dutch stepped away to battle the blaze and keep them safe. Reaching through the glass, she unlocked the door to the office and stepped in. Hazy smoke had filled the messy office but it was obvious the point of origin had been elsewhere. Eva made a quick survey of the office and knew if Jimbo was in the building, he wasn't in there.
"Office clear," she said into her radio.
"FD2, give status on the garage,” Hank said.
Eva moved carefully into the smoke-filled space to her left. The water from the pumper trucks poured in, doing their job. "No visible flame inside office. Accessing garage to clear. Looks to be point of origin."
Eva pushed through the door that led into the garage. Smoke boiled out and a blaze erupted with the feed of oxygen. Eva stepped back, shutting the door. She could see nothing and didn't want to feed the fire. "Garage still hot.”
Hank's voice chilled her."FD2, dispatch confirms owner is likely in the building."
"Shit," Eva said, not even bothering to keep that expletive to herself. "I'm opening the garage."
Dutch moved beside her. "FD3 assisting. Right side knocked down. Support taking over."
Eva felt Dutch at her back. She turned and met his gaze. He nodded. He was ready.
Eva opened the door, and Dutch stepped into the threshold using the stream to knock down the immediate flaring as the oxygen once again hit the still-burning tires. It looked like a movie set with the immediate flare.
Working quickly, Eva made her way to the area that held an old metal desk. She got her tires rotated here so she knew where Jimbo and his guys sat when they smoked and shot the bull.
Sure enough, Jimbo lay beneath the desk in an area that thankfully hadn't received much blaze. The smoke, however, was thick, and she needed to get Jimbo out. Eva reached him, noting the door that led out back was only about ten feet away. She couldn't tell if he was breathing or not, but Jimbo looked like a dead man. Her heart thumped in her ears as she jostled him. He didn't respond. He was completely unconscious.
"Visual made. Jimbo's down. Request emergency medical."
