First In






I welcome you to my blog site; I hope to show you the fire service in NLC in some interesting events. During the next few years, I will improve on the content and photos to keep you coming back for more. I take pride in my photography and try my best to be first in when possible. The majority of the photos will be from the Norwich companies & surrounding area departments, but sometimes I Buff out of state cities for a change of pace.



As of late I have missed or worked a lot of the incidents. I have a great support group of Photographers to help the site keep up with all the incidents. There are too many to list, So thanks for your support. Thanks for visiting and enjoy .RD Ladd



As of July 2017, my site has had 319000 hits thanks for viewing. If you keep coming I will keep posting. First time visitors for older post click on the month links right side.



Remember: I'm not able to make every major event, so if you get some photos or video and would like to share them, please contact me @ laddr68@yahoo.com



If your interested in viewing all of the incident photos or purchasing a photo That I have taken click here.



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Sunday, October 31, 2010

Norwich W/F 10-31-10

A break in the Detroit postings.
Around 20:20 Norwich fire responded to 80 North Cliff st. for a Vacant house fire. upon arrival they found the front exterior of the house heavily involved. Crews knocked down the main body of fire, and worked to extinguish the hot spots. The fire is under investigation.

Detorit, MI. Box Alarm 10-28-10

About 15min after leaving the fire at Harbough Detroit fire dispatched a Box for 4072 Cabet, a short distance down the road. We followed the glow in and arrived first due to find the front on a 1.5 story dwelling involved with a neighbor using a garden hose, trying to contain the fire. The winds were blowing and keeping a lot of the smoke and ash low as you will see in the photos. The ladder was first in and stretched a red line for exposure protection. The engine stretched in and attached the main fire. The fire was contained to the fire building.The Neighbor waves to the first in company to show the location of the fire. The Garden hose attackfirst due truck goes to work with a red-line for exposure protection The engine hooks up the attack lineJust as the engine dumps the monitor, the steam
blast over takes the fire ground.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Detroit, MI. Box Alarm, Vacant dwelling 10-28-10 Day 3

Just after mid-night Detroit fire responded on a Box Alarm to Harbough & Sire for a dwelling fire. As we responded a glow in the night sky was observed. First due reported fire through-out a vacant, crews stretched red-lines for exposure protection. Then a 13/4 to assist them. Command decided to let the building burn to keep it from being relighted. Once the build burned to the floor level the fire was knocked down. This was during the 20mile winds time line.
This was a being to a fast 3 hours.
More Photos @ Laddsphotos
Embers fly as winds pick up

Detroit, MI Box Alarm, Occupied 10-27-10. Day 2

Just after midnight, Detroit fire responded for a house fire, Chief gave a fire through out. The house was a 1.5 story home. Several small fires accrued this day also.

Detroit, MI. Box Alarm, Vacant Motel 10-26-10 "Day 1"

Day one of the trip, Oct 26th. The weather was warm in the 60's with high winds 20-30 with gust to 50. Many of the nights calls were for power lines arcing or downed power line's, Some small fires (below is one of them). The next few days things get busier.

Detroit Fire responded to 666 Martin Luther King Jr. BLVD, for a reported Vacant Hotel fire. First due reported "Stretching". They had a one story vacant (burned out) Motel with a active fire to the rear. The build was box shaped with a court yard. More Photos @ LaddsPhotos

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Detroit Rock City 10/26-29th coming soon

Coming soon
I joined some friends on a trip to Detroit days before Devils Night, now called Angles Night. The city was getting active with about 30+ fires of different degrees of fire conditions. We took in about 20 of them, made it too about 15 and shoot photos of about 10 of them. We left just as Angles night details hit the streets. As I type this 2 working fires are accruing in the city with the sun starting to set. Several agencies with hundreds of people will be paroling the streets to protect 60.000 vac building. Several hundred buffs, sparks or what your section of the world calls them, will be covering the action. (I hope they have plenty of memory cards or film) it sounds like they will need it. It will take a few days to edit and post all the photos. I will also adding most of the photos to my Smugmug site in the next week.

Friday, October 22, 2010

New London, Thief of eternal flame

A PERMANENT MEMORIAL OF A NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, FIRE LIEUTENANT who died in the line of duty 17 years ago was desecrated earlier this week when a thief stole the electric “eternal flame” fixture from the base of the memorial.

Video Story link

The monument to Lt. John O’Connor is located on the grounds of the City Hall and the fixture was first noticed to be missing by one of the city employees this past Tuesday.

If you have any information please contact New London Police or fire departments. www.newlondonfirefightersunion.org




Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Groton 1st Alarm w/special calls 10-19-10

City of Groton Fire responded to 300 Brandegee Ave (Avery Heights for a fire alarm around 11:am. They found a active fire in one apartment on the 2nd floor of a assisted living building. A first alarm was transmitted. Crews attacked the fire and a full search of the building was started. The fire was confined to the apartment, several residents were escorted to safety by firefighters. Crews operated on scene for a few hours for overhaul and smoke removal.

More photos @ Laddsphotos

Friday, October 15, 2010

Franklin Close call (late post) 09-24-10

Franklin fire responded to Rt-32 the 7-11 gas station for a jacked knife tractor trailer. A strange call, so I decided to take a ride. I arrived and found what you see in the photos below. A full gas tanker almost on its side still attached to the trailer. With two heavy wreckers getting ready to support it. The wreckers were called well before the FD was called. Bozrah was also dispatched on the call. One engine from Yantic was requested to aid with water supply as the trailer was up righted, Rt-32 was closed for about 30mins. The TT unit was turning around when a defect in the tractor allowed the trailer to tip.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Occum Car fire and MVAs 10-11-10

Occum fire (Norwich) with Yantic fire responded to I-395 by Exit 83, for a car fire after being cut off on the highway and losing control. Just after this accident, a more destructive 3 car accident occurred in the Northbound side sending a few people to the hospital. For everyone's safety the highway was shut down in both directions. Two other MVAs we reported during these events, one was a disabled motorcycle and a possible 2 car, Both turned out to be non-emergencies.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Hartford 2nd alarm. 10-11-10

Hartford, Ct responded to 23 Whitmore St about 0315 hours for this second alarm fire. Fire appeared to be in the front of the building with a collapse of the front porch. More pictures @. http://squadfirephotos.smugmug.com

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Willimantic 3rd alarm 10-10-10

Around 15:20, at Union Street and Clark. Willimantic went to a 3rd Alarm, Heavy fire conditions at the front and rear upon arrival. Shortly after fire attack commenced a occupant opened a window on the "D" side 3rd floor, he was cut off from the floor below. Firefighters raised a ladder as the occupant came out the window and was hanging on by a arm and a leg (see first video). He managed to reach the ladder and exit with minor injuries. As this was going on command requested a 2nd and then a 3rd alarm. A exposure building started too burn and melt. Crews protected exposure's and attacked the main body of the fire. Firefighters brought the fire under control with minimal damage to a near by apartment building, and the loss of some cars.
Video of the Rescue