ELB House Fire Blazed As Precious Minutes Elapsed With Nearby Station 18's Fire Engine Cut On Budget Advice Of Mayor Foster (Schipske, Gabelich, Neal Dissenting); Engine 22 Races From CSULB Area (Stn. 22), Arrives Seven Minutes After Initial Call
House suffers est. $150,000 damage

(April 3, 2012, 9:15 a.m.,updated 5:40 p.m.) -- LBReport.com has learned that the first LBFD unit capable of putting out a fire at an ELB house fire on Monday (April 2) in the 7000 block of Harco St. (east of Studebaker Rd., south of Heartwell Park) had to travel from the CSULB area (Station 22 on Atherton St.) requiring roughly seven minutes to arrive.

Minutes elapsed -- with the fire doubling in size each minute -- as flames damaged a bedroom and smoke damaged other parts of the house. An LBFD rescue/paramedic unit arrived from nearby Station 18 in just three minutes and its crew immediately entered the house to ensure no one remained inside...but Station 18's fire engine -- which could have provided fire-dousing water capability if available -- wasn't with them.

It was cut by a Council majority (6-3, Schipske, Gabelich, Neal dissenting) in September 2011 on the budget recommendation of Mayor Bob Foster and City Manager Pat West.

A Fire Engine capable of dousing the flames didn't arrive until roughly seven minutes after the fire was first reported (more than twice the time from Station 18). Engine 22 from Station 22 (6340 Atherton St.) had to race from near CSULB to the fire location near the Lakewood border. It was followed by Engine 19 (2240 Clark Ave. south of Conant St.) in 9 minutes and Light Force 17 (from Station 17, 2240 Argonne Ave., west of Clark and south of Willow) in 11 minutes.

LBFD officials have indicated on multiple previous occasions said [general rule of thumb] that a fire doubles in size every minute.

LBFD Public Information Officer Firefighter Steve Yamamoto said arrival times at the Harco St. fire were as follows:

• Rescue 18: 3 minutes [rescue crew without firefighting capability]
• Engine 22: 7 minutes [water equipped firefighting capability]
• Battalion Chief 2: 8 minutes
• Engine 19: 9 minutes
• Light Force Station 17: 11 minutes
• (An OC Fire engine was cancelled en route by Battalion Chief)

PIO Yamamoto says the fire broke out at about 8:11 a.m. April 2. Rescue 18 (no firefighting capability) arrived to find smoke showing from the home's front door. Rescue 18's crew entered the home and conducted a primary search [to make sure no one remained inside]. When Engine 22 arrived (seven minutes after initial report], it used its hose to knock down the fire. All familymembers had self-evacuated by the time fire units arrived.

UPDATE: LBFD says Engine 5 (from 7575 E. Wardlow Rd., east of Studebaker) was unavailable because it was taking part in an airport drill. [end update]

PIO Yamamoto says one bedroom suffered heavy fire damage...and the entire home had extensive smoke damage. Damages are estimated at roughly $150,000.