Box 6-13. At 17:52 hrs, Stations 6, 3, 5 and 10 were dispatched for a house fire located at 2019 Frizzellburg Road just outside of Frizzellburg. The caller advised of heavy smoke and fire from the rear of the house at the address. Duty 3 from Westminster arrived as the first fire service unit (17:59 hrs.) and reported a “2 story single family dwelling with heavy fire through the roof”. Chief 6 (Shaw) arrived soon after and requested the ‘Rapid Intervention Dispatch’ and a ‘Tanker Task Force’. Chief 6 also established “Frizzellburg Command”.

Engine/Tanker 84 was dispatched as part of the ‘Tanker Task Force’ (TTF) at 18:03 hrs. At 18:04 hrs, with only worsening conditions for crews attempting an interior attack, “Command” ordered crews to retreat for a ‘Defensive Operation’ due to the advanced fire conditions and collapse issues. Chief 10 (Coe) was assigned ‘Water Supply Officer’ and an initial water supply was established nearby at the old dairy plant on Old Taneytown Pike.

Engine 81 was dispatched to fill the ‘TTF’ engine company assignment and was directed to an underground drafting tank at a church located on S. Pleasant Valley Road. On arrival, the crew (assisted by Engine 92) setup a secondary tanker fill site, however, the draft site failed to establish a water supply due to broken equipment on the underground drafting tank. Another site was established soon after, by other units, at the Pleasant Valley Fire Station, about 2.5 miles from the fire scene.

By this time, the structure had suffered a collapse and the emergent fire conditions were minimized, reducing the need for a large water supply demand. After ‘breaking down’ the fill site at the church, Engine 81 returned to service. Engine/Tanker 84 continued to transport water to the fire scene and returned to service at around 22:00 hrs.

There were no reported injuries and the structure was a complete loss. The Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office was on-scene and the fire is under investigation.

Visit this link for a short video of the fire: www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/92705657-132.html

Station 8 Units: E/T-84, E-81

Other Units: Station 6 (Pleasant Valley); Station 3 (Westminster); Station 5 (Taneytown); Station 10 (New Windsor); Station 9 (Reese); Station 11 (Harney); Adams Co. Station 20 (Littlestown); MD State Fire Marshal’s Office, Carroll Co. Sheriff’s Office