At 09:10 hours Station 34 was dispatched to assist Station 53 on a Building Fire at Salter's Ski Shop at 3130 Ridge Pike.
With the fire being across that street from Station 53-A crew arrived quikly and reported heavy smoke showing and called for their working fire response and Chief 53 established command. 53 picked up a hydrant to the rear of their station and laid over to the fire scene. First in crews were met with heavy smoke conditions and zero visibility. A Mayday was called as a firefighter became lost due to the heavy smoke and deteriorating Conditions. The firefighter was found safe and removed from the building. Due to fire conditions crews were then removed from the building and an exterior operations set up. Water pressure was an issue with three 5" supply lines being laid. Tanker tasks force was called to shuttle water from Collegeville Borough and Skippack Township. The fire eventually went to 3 alarms. Units from Montgomery County, Chester County, Bucks and Berks Counties assisted at this incident.

Pictures courtesy Jeffrey L. Wentworth, Fire Police Captain
and Engineer Tom Rush