On Monday, November 5, 2018 at 05:34 hours, the Ellendale Fire Co. was alerted to backfill for the Odessa Fire Co., 53 miles north in New Castle County. Crews from Odessa were operating at a 6 alarm commercial structure fire that completely destroyed the iconic Willey Farms on Route 13 in Townsend, Delaware. Engine 3 responded from the Ellendale station with a crew of five under the direction of Asst. Chief Foster. Upon arriving at Odessa Fire Co., the Ellendale crew was joined shortly thereafter by crews from Engine 66-1 of Bethel Township, Pennsylvania; Snozzle 8 of Prospect Park, Pennsylvaniva; and Engine 46-2 of Minquas Fire Co. of Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

While covering the Odessa local, Engine 3 took in the first due engine assignment on an automatic fire alarm in the 600 block of Colchester Court in Misty Vale Farm.

Ellendale crews continued to cover the area and remained to assist Odessa crews with returning their apparatus to service until 15:00 hours when they were requested to respond in to the scene at Willey Farms in Townsend to assist with overhaul and final extinguishment. Engine 3 cleared the scene at approximately 16:00 hours. In total, the crew from Engine 3 consisting of Engineer B. Phillips, Asst. Chief R. Foster, Asst. Chief J. Walton, FF A. Moore, and FF T. Cross assisted in New Castle County for approximately 10 1/2 hours, finally arriving back in Ellendale shortly after 5 pm.

Story By: A. Moore