VIDEO/PHOTOS: Itโs been one year since a massive fire erupted at Pontiac Tires LLC on Fort Wayneโs east side, sending towers of smoke into the sky and drawing nearly 50 firefighters to the scene. The fire, first reported just before 4 p.m. on August 28, 2024, came during the thick of rush hour.
Nearly 6 engines, a couple ladder trucks, and 3 battalion chiefs rushed to the scene. โPeople a mile away could see the smoke and wanted to come down and see it,โ said Fort Wayne Assistant Fire Chief of Operations, Lance Dafforn. โThatโs when we realized we needed a better way to get information out fast.โ FWFD now uses geo-targeted public safety alerts to notify residents of fires, traffic impacts, and other emergencies in real time. The fire also highlighted challenges with water supply. Dafforn explained, โWhen we hook up to multiple hydrants, weโre often pulling from the same water main. That experience led us to work with City Utilities to map larger mains and improve our response for future calls.โ
