Story by Sharon Siegel
Top photo by Sean Heater of Westfall (PA) Fire Company
Bottom photo by Port Jervis (NY) Fire Department Chief Joseph Kowal
Fast action on the part of Port Jervis (NY) Fire Department’s Chief Joseph J. Kowal, Sr., including his expedient first-time deployment of a new concept in firefighting technology, helped to prevent major damage and possible loss of lives during a three-story residential structure fire at 19 Elizabeth Street.
Families displaced by the December 27th fire, although distraught over conditions in the building, praised the actions of firefighters in minimizing their losses.
“We had reported wires dangling, water leaking every time it rained, and a ceiling fan that fell right out of the ceiling,” said the tenant of the third-floor apartment where the fire originated. “Our landlord ignored our calls or told us to just keep waiting another week. But I can’t say enough about the firefighters. They saved most of our belongings, including a video camera that was in a box in the room that was on fire. It wasn’t damaged at all.”
Emmanuel Skouloudis, owner of the four-unit building, denied that there were prior problems.
“It passed Section 8 Housing inspection just a couple of weeks ago, and they are very strict in what they allow,” said Skouloudis. “They would not have passed it if conditions like that existed.”
Skouloudis said after the fire he immediately contacted insurance investigators and has hired a company to air out and clean the apartments thoroughly before beginning to repair and paint them. He noted that the fire is believed to have resulted from improper use of extension cords and other electrical devices in the third floor apartment.
“Unfortunately, I cannot go into a tenant’s apartment to be sure of what they are doing, but I am told there was also a propane tank in use in the apartment,” said Skouloudis. “You can’t do things like that.”
The upper-story tenant’s fifteen-year old son, who was visiting for the holidays, said he was home alone watching television in the living room when he heard popping noises in the adjacent bedroom.
“I noticed flames near the bedroom window and attempted to put the fire out myself, which did not work,” said the teen, who like his father wished not to have his name used. “I then called 911 and left the apartment with our two dogs. I banged on the doors of the other tenants and told them to leave the building. I tried to get our cat to leave, but it wouldn’t.”
The cat did not survive, but no other injuries were reported.
Kowal, who was first to arrive on the scene, observed a fire on the third floor of the 19 Elizabeth Street apartment building and quickly climbed a fire escape with PJFD’s newest firefighting weapon, Fire Interruption Technology-5 (FIT-5), in hand. Extreme heat and heavy black smoke were shooting out of the upper story as he broke a third-floor window on the side of the building and launched the FIT-5 device into a smoke-filled room.
Described by Kowal as similar in looks to a land mine, the FIT-5 powder aerosol generator is approximately nine pounds in weight and is designed to emit an extremely fine chemical powder when activated. The chemically-safe powder temporarily interrupts the molecular composition of the fire, known as the ‘fire triangle’ or ‘combustion triangle,’ thus suppresses combustion.
Information taken from PJFD’s website and FIT-5 designer’s page, ARA Safety Inc., explains that a cloud of powder released from an activated FIT-5 can reduce temperatures in an area from over 1000 degrees to under 300°F in less than 15 seconds. The chemical does not change oxygen levels, and its composition is safe for anyone who might be in the room.
Kowal said he was very pleased with his initial use of FIT-5, which he said worked exactly as it was supposed to. Within 15 seconds of the unit’s deployment, thick, dark smoke that had been billowing from the building was reduced and a noticeably faded lighter gray. Flames remained suppressed for approximately 15 minutes, allowing time and ease for interior firefighters to reach the fire.
“It knocked the fire down long enough to allow us to stretch lines up the stairwell to the third floor,” said Kowal. “If the fire had not been suppressed, the other rooms in the apartment would have been fully involved.”
Besides its effective use as a firefighting tool, a discovery made by PJFD officials credits the use of FIT-5 with most likely helping to save many lives and prevent catastrophic damage.
Kowal confirmed what the landlord mentioned, that a propane tank had been in use in the apartment.
“After arson investigators finished their investigation, we continued our mopup in the closet of the fire room and found a 20-lb. propane cylinder,” said Kowal. “A cylinder of this size would have caused a loss to the entire building, adjacent buildings, fire apparatus, and most important, human lives.”
The propane tank had been in operation as a heating fuel supply in the bedroom from which the fire originated. Officials on the scene stressed that keeping a propane tank inside a building is illegal, extremely dangerous, and should never be done.
By temporarily suppressing flames, Kowal said water volume was also able to be significantly reduced and water damage minimized. The reduced use of water and water damage also helps to protect the cause of the fire and allow for an easier and faster investigation of the incident.
“I’ve seen a lot of water damage over the years,” said Kowal. “We used less water on this structure fire than ever, and I think the water damage was minimal compared to other fires I have been to over the past 35 years.”
Kowal, who believes in keeping up to date on new technologies, received firsthand information about FIT-5 at a firefighter’s trade show in Las Vegas this past fall and was the first to use this technology in the northeast region. Kowal said he also recently learned of a growing trend of submitting firefighting expenses to insurance companies for reimbursement and hopes to be able to take advantage of this method of reimbursement in the future.
“The use of the newer technologies can result in significant savings of property and lives and are well worth the expense, and we are willing to lead the way in firefighting protection,” said Kowal, who was also among the first in the region to use thermal imaging technologies. “We are also looking into recovering some of these costs from insurance companies, as other departments have.”
Kowal said his department currently keeps three FIT-5 units on hand, each priced at about $1100. The one used in this recent fire was restocked the following day.
Investigators on the scene determined the cause of the fire to be accidental and electrical in nature, and the building has been temporarily condemned until electrical and other repairs are made. Displaced tenants from all three of the apartments have been temporarily housed elsewhere. The fourth apartment was vacant at the time of the fire.
