At 6:07PM on April 5, 2011, the Greenhills Fire Department was dispatched to 43 Burley Circle for a working structure fire. Our standard structural response calls for 4 engines, 2 ladders, and an EMS unit, which brought companies in addition to Greenhills, from Forest Park, Springfield Township, Woodlawn, and North College Hill.

The first arriving units were Greenhills duty officer Captain Jim Klems and Fire Chief Tony Spaeth. Upon arrival, heavy smoke and fire conditions were reported from the second floor of a 3-unit- three story townhome. The building owner/occupant was in the basement of the involved structure and refused to come out. Captain Klems (who arrived at 6:10PM) and two police officers made entry into the basement in an attempt to assist the occupant out and he became combative and unruly. At that point fire conditions continued to worsen as engine companies began deploying fire attack lines for suppression efforts to begin. The two police officers then were forced to physically remove the victim from the burning structure as smoke began to creep into the basement area where the occupant sought refuge. Once the occupant was safely removed, he continued to be uncooperative, therefore he was handcuffed for his own safety and for the safety of the EMS personnel treating him. He was transported to Mercy Fairfield Hospital for evaluation and treatment for minor injuries in addition to smoke inhalation.

The fire was brought under control within 20 minutes. Heavy fire and smoke damage occurred in unit #43. Unit #45 also sustained heavy smoke damage, as over the years, at some point, access between the two units was accomplished by the installation of an interior doorway between the two, which created an avenue of smoke travel to unit #45. Minor smoke damage (primarily odor) occurred in the other adjacent townhome (#41), which is owned by someone else, and serves as rental property. Those occupants made it safely out of their townhome.

A Greenhills Firefighter was complaining of feeling ill while on the scene, so based on the signs and symptoms presented, was transported to the hospital for evaluation and was later released that same evening.

The fire caused approximately $80,000 in damage, and careless smoking has been ruled as the cause of the fire. Fire and Smoke damage was contained to the structure of origin.