WGFC Assists Union Fire Company at Historic Blaze
Looking down Third Street, where four ladder trucks and dozens of firefighters worked for hours to put out heavy fire in multiple buildings.
Looking down Third Street, where four ladder trucks and dozens of firefighters worked for hours to put out heavy fire in multiple buildings.
 
On third street, multiple buildings featuring retail stores on Third Street with apartments above were on fire and total losses.
On third street, multiple buildings featuring retail stores on Third Street with apartments above were on fire and total losses.
 
Fire burns through the roof alongside Ladder 22.
Fire burns through the roof alongside Ladder 22.
 
A warehouse behind apartment building on Oxford’s Third Street is fully involved as crews begin work at a 4-alarm fire on Thursday morning.
A warehouse behind apartment building on Oxford’s Third Street is fully involved as crews begin work at a 4-alarm fire on Thursday morning.
 
Engine 22-2 provide water supply to three ladder trucks and various hand lines as WGFC units assisted Oxford.
Engine 22-2 provide water supply to three ladder trucks and various hand lines as WGFC units assisted Oxford.
 
 
September 19, 2023
 

Just past 1130 pm Wednesday evening, an automatic fire alarm call for the Union Fire Company of Oxford turned into a 4+ alarm fire that destroyed multiple buildings in the downtown core and left 90+ people homeless.

Shortly after the initial dispatch, the call was upgraded to a building fire. Personnel at the firehouse in Oxford could visualize signs of a large fire from their station, and Chief 21 began upgrading the incident, ultimately striking 4+ alarms and special calling additional units over the incident which continued well into Thursday afternoon.

The West Grove Fire Company was requested, along with numerous fire companies from across Chester, Lancaster, and Cecil Counties to provide mutual aid assistance to Oxford. WGFC Ladder 22 was among seven ladder trucks operating on the scene. WGFC’s Engine 22-2 was positioned at the rear of the incident, and supplied water to Ladder 22, and ladder trucks from Rising Sun and Keystone Valley (Parkesburg), along with numerous hand lines. At approximately 430am, the operation began using rural water from ponds as the incident had taxed the water system and fire hydrants in Oxford Borough. Tanker 22 from the WGFC was involved in the tanker shuttle operation - ultimately, more than 2 million gallons of water was used at this fire scene.

The incident involved buildings in the area bordered by Third Street, Market and Broad, with Railroad Avenue to the rear. WGFC crews and apparatus were still on scene mid-day Thursday.

A complete accounting of this historic fire fight led by the Union Fire of Oxford can be found here along with many more photos: https://oxfordfire.com/news/1237/Significant-Fire-in-Historic-Oxford-Borough-

For more information on the fire use the hyperlinks below:

https://www.facebook.com/ChesterCountyWorkingFires
https://6abc.com/chester-county-fire-oxford-flames-firefighters-south-3rd-street/13781149/
https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/video/oxford-pa-fire-forces-90-people-from-homes-mayor-says-its-heartbreaking/
https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/oxford-chester-county-apartment-fire/3645464/
 
Units: Ladder 22, Engine 22-2, Rescue 22, Utility 22-2, Utility 22-3, Fire Police
 
Mutual Aid: Fire companies from across Chester, Lancaster and Cecil Counties, Union Fire Company of Oxford, Medic 94, Chester County Fire Marshals, Chester County HazMat Team
 
Hyperlinks: ABC Article
NBC Article
CBS Article