At 1:47 PM, our department and first-alarm mutual aid companies were alerted for a house fire in the area of the 200 block of Dayton Street. Callers reported smoke coming from the second-floor window of a twin on the corner of Dayton at Emmet Street. They also reported one occupant was likely in the house.

Chief, Deputy, Engine, Ladder, Rescue, MICU 65-1 and Utility 65-2 responded to the incident. Based upon the report from a firefighter on location, Engine 65 requested a "working fire" be transmitted. The working fire dispatch re-alerts fire personnel that there is a confirmed fire and adds an air cascade unit to the assignment.

Phoenixville Police arrived on location and used a battering ram to force open the locked front door. The heat and smoke were too intense for the officers to make entry into the home. The officers began yelling the resident's name which alerted them to the danger. The resident was able to escape through a second-story window onto a first-story roof and then to the ground.

Engine 65 arrived on location to confirm a kitchen fire and that the occupant was out of the house. One handline was stretched into the house and the fire was quickly extinguished. The ceilings and walls were opened up to confirm there was no extension and that the fire was fully extinguished. A fan was used to remove smoke from the adjoining house.

Chester County Fire Marshal's Office investigated the cause of the fire, which was found to be accidental in nature. The last remaining fire crews cleared the scene after about an hour and a quarter.