Salisbury Fire Department

At  10:10, as crews were finishing up a nice Sunday morning family breakfast, the tones dropped for a reported building on fire. Stations 16,2 and 1 were alerted to 416 E. Church St. Engine 161 with 4 personnel responded along with PM16 and the assistant chief.  Units from 16 arrived simultaneously reporting a 2 ½ story wood balloon frame building, with smoke pushing from doors on the B side. Engine 161 secured its own hydrant and the crew stretched the 200ft rear preconnect. Engine 2 arrived and laid a second line securing their own water source.  161’s crew made entry at which time they encountered basement stairs, with smoke pushing up at them. The crew made an aggressive push down the stairs and encountered heavy smoke conditions and had to go look for the fire. The crew of Engine 2 stretched a back up line and held at the foot of the stairs. Trucks 2 and 1 arrived and took positions on opposing sides accordingly and began to ladder the structure. Tower 16 arrived, took position in front of the address and the crew controlled utilities to the building. A fire was finally located in a rear corner of the basement which was discovered had all but almost burnt itself out prior to our arrival. The fire was brought under control with no injuries reported. Scene was turned over to the fire marshall. Last unit cleared at 12:40.