Yet again, Lancaster County was targeted by mother nature with more potent storms reeking havoc on the area. With the threat of storms quickly becoming a reality, area fire departments began running service calls, investigations, and lightening strikes. As the violent cold front swept through New Holland it knocked out Power to the entire western half of town. The power outage triggered an alarm at the Ritz on Main. Engine 3-9-1 responded non emergency to check the building out. After doing a walk through it was determined that no fire services were needed.

As the Engine was returning, Truck 3-9 was dispatched along with the rest of the first alarm assignment to a reported house on fire from a lightening strike along Rt. 897 in Fivepointville (sta. 3-14). Additional info given to responding units was a basement fire. Chief 3-3-2 (leinbach) arrived and confirmed a working basement fire. As crews from Fivepointville, Bowmansville (3-3) and Terre Hill (3-12)  began fire attack, several more tankers were dispatched to assist the tankers from Fivepointville and Martindale (3-10) which were already on scene.

Truck 3-9 arrived, placed several ground ladders and was sent to begin salvage operations. The crew began tarping furniture on the first floor due to the possibility of fire traveling through the walls to the 2nd floor. As conditions improved in the basement, conditions on the 2nd floor began to deteriorate and lines were advanced to the 2nd floor. The truck crew split and prepared for the possibility of venting the roof while the rest of the crew grabbed hooks and assisted other crews in checking for possible fire extension. After much searching it was determined there was none and crews vented the structure.

Air 3-9 also assisted on the scene filling 24 cylinders. Both units cleared in under 2 hours.

While the Truck and Air operated at the house fire, Fire Police were sent to all the traffic lights in town to assist during the power outage.