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Print Edition Highlights - March 23 , 2023
Photo by Curt Werner
Firemen surround Mechanicsburg Fire Chief Gary Neff after rescuing him and another fireman from a burning building that had collapsed on Sunday afternoon in the 2100-bock of Hastings Drive, Upper Allen Township.
Mary Lou Bytof
Local firefighters worked to beat the clock Sunday afternoon as they attempted to rescue two firemen who were trapped inside a house that was heavily engulfed with flames. After some tense moments, a Rapid Intervention Team of firefighters rushed in and eventually located and rescued the men.
The men received minor injuries and were transported from the scene to a local hospital via ambulance.
At approximately 2:13 Sunday, area fire companies rushed to the 2100 block of Hastings Drive in Upper Allen Township in response to a garage fire, which quickly spread to the house. Upon arriving at the house, firefighters from the UAFD reported heavy fire at the rear of the house. UAFD Fire Chief Tom Shumberger, Jr., arrived at the scene at 2:17 and called for a second alarm.
Previously, the dispatch reported that two adolescents were possibly trapped inside the house. After a thorough check of the home, firefighters determined that no one was inside the structure. The teens were later accounted for.
However, two firefighters became trapped when a portion of the second floor over the garage collapsed.
Flames shoot out from the second story of a home in Upper Allen Townshp Sunday as a crew sprays water from a ladder truck.
For the rest of the story see the March 23, 2023 edition.
Carolyn Hoffman
Who owns the Memphord Estates stormwater basins? Essentially no one.
The land for the basins in not on the tax rolls. The county recorder of deeds has no information on the land. No person is listed as the owner, however some basins may need to be maintained and future repairs are anticipated for fences and other scenarios, such as if a pipe collapses. As a result, at the March 13 supervisors’ session Monaghan Township supervisors decided to begin the process of taking ownership of the land and the basins through eminent domain.
The first step will be to precisely establish the land boundaries, which is needed not only for a future deed, but also so the engineer can plan for access, especially of the northern basin, where the topography is very steep. The township solicitor was directed to look into the details of assuming ownership of the land through condemnation. If the township eventually becomes the owner, that will allow the municipality to have access to the land to determine what current and future maintenance needs and costs can be expected.
A second major issue discussed at the meeting was the Fishers Run culvert replacement, for which supervisors hope to obtain a grant to help with the cost of the project.
For the rest of the story see the March 23, 2023 edition.
Kristen Stagg
After more than two hours of discussion at the March 14 conditional use hearing for Crossroads Commercial Development, LLC, Carroll Township solicitor Michael Pykosh recommended continuing the hearing to another date for additional testimony. The board selected March 28 for civil engineer Elliot Shibley and April 3 for traffic engineer Craig Mellot to testify.
Carolyn Hoffman
At a special meeting on March 13, supervisors agreed to increase millage by 0.059 in 2024 on assessed property values to be designated for the Northern York County Fire & Rescue.
The increase will help the fire service stay solvent and pay for equipment needs and daytime drivers. Carroll Township and Dillsburg Borough have also agreed to their own 0.059 millage increases on assessed property values.
By using assessed property values as the measure for the increase, businesses will also be paying for the fire service, which would not be the case if population was used.
Jesse Suders, a grant writer specializing in municipal grants, presented information at the March 8 regular supervisors’ meeting about grants that may be available to help with the cost of expanding or building a larger township office. At the March 13 meeting he was put under contract to help locate and eventually apply for grants. He will first determine what the township needs and then find grants that will help with the costs. Most of the grants require some level of township match.
At a conditional use hearing before Franklin Township’s regular meeting on March 8, Joseph Machine on Range End Road was given the okay to build an accessory storage building behind their facility. No manufacturing will be done at the new building; it will be used only for storage of materials.
For the rest of the story see the March 23, 2023 edition.
Photo by Curt Werner
Firemen rush into a collapsed building to remove debris to rescue two trapped fellow firemen Sunday afternoon in the 210-block of Hastings Drive, Upper Allen Township.
Curt Werner
Last Sunday, March 19, was a nice cool sunny day, a day to relax, watch television or take a walk around the block. As I was at my home trying to decide what I would do, my pager went off a little after 2 p.m., advising of a garage fire in Upper Allen Township.
My cameras were ready and I drove directly to the fire scene. I parked several hundred yards from the fire, which already billowed deep black smoke into the air. Upper Allen Township had its ladder truck up and running. Soon the Northern York County Fire Rescue Ladder Truck rushed by me. As the ladder truck was setting up, I remembered the previous weeks, the hours spent training setting up and maneuvering the ladder. Bob Kauffman jumped out of the truck and in what seemed record breaking time, he had the ladder truck level and ready to extend the ladder with Chief Hector Morales and Brandon Mitchum in the bucket. The fire was being attacked from all three sides and above with the two ladder trucks. The left side of the garage was burning so hot that the siding on the house next door was melting. A fireman turned a hose on the siding right away to cool down the house and keep it from catching fire. Ladders were placed under each window on the second floor. This is in case a fireman has to make a quick exit from the second floor in an emergency, such as floor collapse, rescue of a person or getting additional tools to the fireman.
I positioned myself in front of the garage to get a photo straight into the fire. It was quiet other than the hoses being moved. All of a sudden, there was a loud boom in front of me. It happened in a split second. No warning, not a few pieces falling; it all came down at once on top of the garage, collapsing. I lost my breath, dear God, please no fireman under all that. My heart sunk to my stomach. A mayday went out. In seconds, fireman rushed to the garage. The fireman on the right side of the house ran with equipment to remove the debris. Several chain saws were started.
For the rest of the story see the March 23, 2023 edition.
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