The Freedom Valley Chronicles: The Millennium Fire – Part Five The Inferno Spreads To Riverwalk At Millennium

The fire has now spread from the construction site of Stables At Millennium to Riverwalk At Millennium.  These photos were all taken on August 13, 2008.  Apartments that minutes earlier were the homes of hundreds of people have now begun to be destroyed.

A fire truck can be seen in the right in this photograph.
Fire fighters and ladders from fire trucks can be seen in the courtyard of Riverwalk At Millennium.
Fire fighters from the Conshohocken Fire Department are striving to protect property at Riverwalk At Millennium.
The Gladwyne Fire Company joined the fire fight shortly after units from the Washington Fire Company, the Conshohocken Fire Company #2, and other area fire companies arrived at Millennium.

According to the Gladwyne Fire Company, the “members assisted with multiple assignments [including] … cutting a trench cut in one of the building roofs to help stop the fire from consuming the rest of the building.  Gladwyne crews remained on scene until just before midnight and the Air Light Unit remained on scene with a limited crew until sunrise the next morning.”

Fire fighters from Conshohocken, throughout the Freedom Valley, and beyond fought this fire.

This photograph shows two ladders from fire companies fighting the fire.  If you look closely, you’ll see a third spray of water (to the left) coming from an unseen ladder.
Fire fighters train their hoses on flames destroying part of Riverwalk At Millennium.
The smoke is enveloping the parking lots of Riverwalk At Millennium.
This is a close-up of the previous photograph.  The fire fighters are in the midst of heavy smoke as they strive to fight the fire.
This is another close-up of a previous photograph.  An unidentified police officer is at the scene of Riverwalk At Millennium.  Law enforcement played a critical role in securing the Millennium properties.
The flames are consuming part of Riverwalk At Millennium.  You may be able to see two ladders being used to spray water on the fire.
Smoke is enveloping the entire site.  You can barely see the flames or the water being sprayed on the fire.

The next news column will detail the fire fight as darkness spread over Conshohocken.

The first, fourth, eighth, and ninth photographs are courtesy of members of the Conshohocken Fire Company #2, August 13, 2008.

The fifth and sixth photographs are courtesy of the Gladwyne Fire Company, August 13, 2008.

The second, third, seventh, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth photographs are courtesy of Mr. Dan Berger, August 13, 2008.

Do you have questions about local history?  A street name?  A building?

Your questions may be used in a future news column.

Contact Richard McDonough at freedomvalleychronicles@gmail.com.

© 2018 Richard McDonough