At 18:57 hours Tuesday evening, the volunteers of the Plymouth Fire Company No. 1 (Montco 43) were dispatched to the 500 block of Dekalb Street to assist the Norristown Fire Department on a reported building fire.

NFD units arrived to a multi story church building with smoke showing. Ladder 43 with a crew of 6 and Chief 43 responded right after dispatch and arrived and assumed 2nd due truck company responsibilities. The crew split with the interior team hooking ceilings while the exterior team began throwing ground ladders. As the stubborn fire progressed the crews then transitioned flowing handlines into the rear windows to knock down visible fire.

Command would end up striking the 2nd alarm and special called Squirt 43 to the scene just after 20:00 hours. The squirt responded with a crew of 4 and positioned on the A/D corner placing their master stream in service for several hours.

Crews were hampered by the extremely frigid temperatures and hidden fire. Norristown units along with relief crews from several counties remained on scene completing extinguishment until after sunrise. Station 43 was released by command after 05:00 hours this morning.