Two homes declared total loss after four-alarm fire early Friday morning in 300 block of Elm

QUINCY — Two Quincy residences have been declared a total loss after an early Friday morning four-alarm fire in the 300 block of Elm.

The Quincy Fire Department was alerted at 2:43 a.m. Friday, Nov. 29, to a house on fire across the street from 309 Elm. The first two crews and the incident commander arrived on the scene at 2:47 a.m. and observed that the house at 304 Elm, a one-story masonry house with a basement, was fully engulfed in flames. The house next door at 310 Elm, a two-story masonry house with a basement, also was on fire along the roof line due to the impinging flames from 304 Elm.

The initial crews began deploying a hose line for extinguishment of the fire, and the incident commander called for a second alarm. A minute later, heavy fire was observed in the attic of 310 Elm, so a fourth alarm was called. A fourth alarm calls all on-duty crews to the fire scene and calls in off-duty personnel to man reserve trucks to respond to subsequent calls as well as personnel to report to the fire scene to assist. 

The first arriving truck was connected to a hydrant for water supply. The next engine arrived two minutes after the initial crews and assisted in deploying additional hose lines to protect 300 Elm, which caught fire at the roof gable. Crews extinguished that fire from the exterior, then made entry to ensure the fire had not spread to the interior.

Efforts were then concentrated on extinguishing the fire at 310 and 304 Elm. The aerial ladder on Engine 2 was set up to apply water to the two houses from above, and additional hose lines were deployed at that time. 304 Elm was beyond saving due to the total involvement of fire it had sustained, so efforts were focused on extinguishing 310 Elm while also keeping the fire at 304 Elm in check. 

A crew made entry into 310 Elm to extinguish the attic fire when the roof of the home collapsed. The crew exited the house immediately after just entering it.

Ameren Gas and Electric was on the scene to confirm that the houses at 304 and 310 Elm did not have utilities. For the remainder of the night and into the morning, all crews focused efforts on containment and extinguishment. As the fires were controlled and almost fully extinguished, crews were released from the scene. One crew was on the scene as of 10 a.m. Friday, and it is anticipated that one crew will be kept on the scene throughout the day to monitor any flare-ups.

QPD shut down Elm Street and one lane of Third Street to protect crews. The Adams County Ambulance Service was on the scene in case it was needed. The QFD Volunteer Rehab Team also responded to assist firefighters recover during their breaks in operations, and Quincy Central Services crews spread salt on Elm Street and Third Street due to the formation of ice on the pavement from the water runoff. The Salvation Army responded with their cantina to provide hot beverages and granola bars for the firefighters. The American Red Cross worked with the occupant of 300 Elm should the occupant need housing or other assistance. 

No civilians were injured at the scene. One firefighter sustained a minor shoulder injury.

The house at 304 Elm was vacant at the time of the fire and is gutted and a total loss. The house at 310 Elm is likely a total loss as well due to the extensive fire damage to the structure. The house at 300 Elm had only minor fire damage to a roof gable.

Twenty-five firefighters were on the scene from four engines, as well as a quint, the assistant chief, two deputy chiefs and two fire investigators.