Fire boxes pulled for false alarms overnight

KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Shenandoah firefighters at a fire box at Penn and Emerick on Thursday, July 2, 2020.

SHENANDOAH – Fire alarms sounded in the Shenandoah Valley twice overnight for false alarms.

On at least two occasions overnight, someone pulled box 4-2, West Centre and Gilbert Streets for false alarms, in acts caught partially on camera.

The first alarm sounded around 11:30pm Thursday night. Firefighters interpreted the air horn signal to be box 1-2, West Penn and North Emerick, and, within minutes, firefighters from Shenandoah’s Columbia and Rescue Hook and Ladder fire companies were on scene.

Firefighters found no emergency and attempted to reset the box, only to find the box wasn’t pulled.

Security camera footage from North Gilbert Street, showing a person approaching the fire box at Centre and Gilbert around 11:30pm Thursday.

As firefighters were clearing that scene, alarms sounded again. This time, Box 4-2. Columbia, “Hookies,” and Defender firefighters stood by in station while marshals investigated.

The box was promptly reset, and firefighters cleared the scene.

Box 4-2 sounded once again, just before 4:00am, and, within minutes, marshals were on scene to investigate, finding no emergency and resetting the box.

The incidents were passed along to borough police.

Security cameras on North Gilbert Street partially captured both incidents, showing a person walking to the box, mounted on a utility pole at Gilbert and Centre, from South Gilbert at the time the box was pulled.

The security camera footage, however, only captured the lower half of the person, as they left the scene via Centre.

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