Jeff Purcell from Riverdale (MD) Fire Department sent in these pictures he took while in a store in Hanover, Pennsylvania. The pictures are taken from the basement level of the store and show a staircase that could cause some confusion. Obviously at one point there were two staircases between the basement and first floor. Now there is only one and it’s on the opposite end of the building. If there was any decent level of smoke in the basement it could obscure that this is in fact a stairway to nowhere. Another point to consider is the distance that you’d have to travel to egress from this basement. The presence of only one stairwell could mean having to cover a lot of ground to get of the basement. Hopefully this was not allowed by code, but we all now how that goes.
12 thoughts on “Stairway to Nowhere”
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HEY! I sent in a story just like this from the other side of PA! Where’s mine, Jimm? Why do you hate me? Is it all the donkey kick stuff? Kidding. (Although I did send it 🙂 ) Two words-STAY ORIENTED! Regardless of how many on a crew or what you’re doing, at least one person needs to know where you are AT ALL TIMES. It’s easy to lose track when you’re focusing on something else, search, etc. *****ENGINE TACTIC ALERT***** Also this is one reason why we need to know the reach of our handlines. If you can control a fire from a distance in a large building, do it. That way if shit hits the fan, you’re closer to the exit. And since Im on a roll, WATCH YOUR AIR CONSUMPTION!!!! How ever much you used getting in, you need that much to get back out, at least. Remember folks, large buildings are a whole different game. It’s like JV and varsity. I could go on about command and accountability, but most of you have probably stopped reading this already.
Just curious…I can not completely see, do the stairs continue, if so how does it look on the top floor. Maybe a follow up?
Did the owner just place a drop ceiling over the opening? This might be an unpleasant suprise if you are searching on the upperfloor and find the top of the stairs!
It sure does look like the stairs continue up. You still have to think maybe this would be a back up way to force into the upper level if a different engine company is holding the stairs with a couple rooms off in the upper level. This should definitely be investigated by the second due truck company, depending on which side is alpha and which is charlie.
Basement fire in commercial building = bring a search rope. I can just imagine a mayday here where “He’s at the bottom of the stairs” and yet cant be found.
Who says you can’t have “fun” when going shoe shopping.
I don’t know if the stairs go all the way up, but it appeared as if they did. On the first floor, where the opening to the stairs use to be, the floor is covered by what I assume was wood. You could feel the spring as you walked on it. Maybe someone from Hanover, Pa or York County can who is knowledgeable of this structure can help out.
Jeff
Someone from Hanover Council should look into if they can make them remove the stairs for safety reasons
They (HFD) have a hard time getting inspections done. Let alone getting council to approve action like removing stairs from a historic building. They would rather turn a blind eye. WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT GETS US. DEAD. But until that happens, council will do nothing.
Jeff,
Good info. Everyone should know the buildings in their first due and the ares you run. Everyone should plan for the unexpected. Are you still a member of Riverdale VFD. I thought that you were suspended for making false calls. Always be perpared for anything. You need to practice your RIC.
Hi,
That suspension was pretty short lived. In fact, it was over back in 1993, but thanks for asking. 🙂
This is not from my first due, I came across it while shopping. Since it was one of those things you’d see here, I sent the pics to VES.
Thanks,
Bubba
I just have to say two things
PRE PLAN
This pic was emailed to me via our C-shift Capt. This building is in our first due area .Between the HFD and our dept PTFD we have pre-planeed this building and also taking touyrs of it. What you cant tell is the whole building is like a maze. YOu can enter the buiding on one block and exit on another.