Using a dozer to mop up a structure fire

Dozers are commonly used on vegetation fires, but it is unusual to see them at a structure fire. In the video above, Los Angeles County Fire Department used a dozer to assist firefighters during the overhaul or mop up stage of a structure fire in Lancaster, California Thursday night. Apparently there was a large quantity of material inside the commercial building that would have been difficult to completely extinguish without spreading out the burning debris. It looks like they were using foam or a wetting agent in the water to achieve greater penetration.

Lancaster structure fire
Commercial building fire in Lancaster, California. Via @LACoFDPIO

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Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.

2 thoughts on “Using a dozer to mop up a structure fire”

  1. As the saying goes….Just another tool in the tool box. Good to have them to speed up the task at hand and cut down on time involved in overhaul and injuries to personnel.

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  2. never seen a dozer inside a warehouse like that myself,but in 1985,we called in two large excavators to knock down walls on a large re-enforced cinder block commercial building,and in the early 2000s three dozers,two from Cal Fire and one private dozer (used every year on local wildland)to knock down a lumber mill,they even made 4 drops with the S2Ts..88 and 89 out of grass valley.out in the sacramento valley a few years ago was a warehouse of pistachio shells which burned..used the dozer inside there,but i only saw a clip on KCRA 3 out of Sacramento,they may still have it.

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