A winter snow storm that began yesterday morning and has pretty much come to end today brought about 10 inches of snow to the State College area.  The storm kept the area bustling with multiple fender benders.  The Alpha Fire Co. responded to several vehicle accidents, one of which required the use of the Jaws of Life to pop a door to get the driver out a garbage truck.  In addition to the several vehicle accidents that the company responded to, we were also dispatched to an automatic alarm and a carbon monoxide alarm.

At around 11:30 PM the company was dispatched for an engine and a tanker to assist Port Matilda with an accident with entrapment and fire, Engine 1510 arrived and advised no fire and confirmed entrapment.  Tanker 519 was placed available and Engine 514 proceeded to the scene, after crews on scene determined the patient was deceased, Engine 514 relocated to Station 15 for stand-by while the coroner and State Police performed their investigations.  Engine 514 returned to the State College area at about 2:30 AM. 

Port Matilda accident scene.

At 7:44 AM the Alpha Fire Co. was dispatched to the Park Forest Middle School, 2180 School Dr., in Patton Township for an odor investigation.  Engine 514 arrived on scene first and found a strong smell of something burning in one of the science rooms.  The crew proceeded to further investigate by removing ceiling tiles and checking the room with the Thermal Imaging Camera.  All were negative and the source was narrowed down to the ventilation system.

Truck 517 arrived and their crew went to the roof to investigate the air handlers, during their investigation the found a heating unit that burned up.

During this time students for the school were rerouted to the elementary school across the street.

Crews cleared the scene at 8:31 AM.