| Frederick County Box 17-25 at 14670 Black Ankle Road, sounded for a 2nd alarm today at 4:31 PM, calling for Engine 81 and Engine/Tanker 82 along with several other Carroll County units from Mount Airy, New Windsor and Westminster(TW3). Units from Mount Airy, Winfield and Sykesville(TW12) were dispatched on the initial alarm as well. Though dispatched originally as a 'barn fire', it was discovered by arriving units to be a house and two barn/shed buildings, well involved.
Not only was there a need for help due to the fire, but also the temperature, which was over 100 degrees with high humidity. In fact, Frederick County DFRS was operating under 'Class 5' heat conditions. This means that additional alarms are automatically required for working fires and that firefighters are only to work for short periods of time while resting for long periods of time. This reduces heat related emergencies among firefighters on the scene.
As units for the 2nd alarm went responding, they were advised to use caution due to a subject on the premises with a gun, his whereabouts unknown. Engine 81 was the first Union Bridge unit to arrive and the crew was sent to personnel staging, leaving the engine nearly half a mile away. Engine/Tanker 82 arrived not long after and staged more than two miles away. The area where the fire was located was on a narrow, single line road and the best locations to stage apparatus were at intersections located well away from the scene.
Initial water supply was handled by units pumping water to the attack engine while LDH was laid to ponds located nearly 3500 feet from the scene. This long lay was required due to the narrow roads where tanker shuttles would be hazardous due to the large amount of fire, police and other vehicles on the scene.
At one point, Command advised that there was no one in the residence after searches had been completed and that there was one Priority 4 on the scene, presumably the subject with the gun that was reported on response. It was later determined that the subject had committed suicide and the fire may be arson. Units from four counties (Frederick, Carroll, Howard and Montgomery) responded to the incident.
Engine 81's crew eventually assisted the Fire Marshals that were on the scene, with the investigation, while Engine/Tanker 82's crew, along with others in staging, were transported by Utility 17 back to the scene to assist in picking up the supply lines that were laid from the scene to the water source.
Engine/Tanker 54 (Taneytown) transferred to Station 8 during the incident and responded to a medical call on Penrose Ave. Upon Engine/Tanker 82's return to the first due area, E/T 54 returned to service. All Union Bridge units were back in the station at 8:19 PM.
For more information regarding this incident, we recommend visiting the Frederick News Post or Baltimore/Washington area TV news stations and websites. |
