This DVD contains two major incidents from Chinatown. Hear all radio transmissions!

In this 5th Alarm fire from February 2009 fire started on the 2nd floor of a 6 story brick occupied multiple dwelling. The fire quickly spread through out the structure and into the exposure. Numerous civilians had to be assisted in evacuations and several mayday’s were transmitted. Extremely heavy smoke from the rear of the building.

This April, 2010 7th Alarm fire was originated in the basement of 283 Grand Street, which was a six-story mixed occupancy (stores with dwellings above) building.

Initially the main body of fire could not be located. Firefighters dealt with heavy smoke and total black out conditions in the basement. High heat and a large amount of stock and equipment hampered the search for the fire. The fire broke out on the first floor and quickly spread next door to 285 Grand St. The fire found its way into the enclosed air shaft between the buildings as well as the buildings pipe recesses.

Extremely heavy fire started to extend into apartments on different floors of both buildings. This was because windows faced into this closed shaft. Hampering initial operations was the large number of civilians in the buildings at the time of the fire that had to be evacuated.

Increasing smoke, heat and fire conditions on the upper floors of both buildings required firefighters to evacuate the civilians via front fire escapes. After receiving numerous reports of heavy fire conditions on various floors, the incident commander ordered the buildings evacuated.

The fire also spread to the upper floors, cockloft and roof of 289 Grand St. Numerous ladder companies, several additional Battalion Chiefs, one Deputy Chief and an additional F A S T ladder were special called.