| Box 10-5. At 17:33 hrs, Engine 81 was dispatched to assist (2nd engine) Station 10 for a house fire at 1260 Coe Drive in New Windsor. Other stations alerted were; Westminster, Winfield and Taneytown. Lieutenant 10-1 (M. Moser) and Chief 10-1 (B. Welker) arrived to find a two story, single family dwelling with smoke showing. Chief 10-1 established "Coe Drive Command" and requested the Rapid Intervention Dispatch.
With the RID, Engine/Tanker 82 and Paramedic 89 were dispatched to assist. E-102 then responded as 2nd engine, making Engine 81 the 3rd engine. As they approached the scene, "Command" ordered Engine 81 to Old New Windsor Road at Meadow Lane to tend the hydrant from which Engine 101 had laid supply line. As Station 10 apparatus arrived at the scene, crews went to work placing attack lines in an attempt to knock the fire down. Utility vehicles were used to transport tools, equipment and personnel back to the scene, which was about 1200 feet off of the 'hard road'.
While firefighters were attacking the fire, a hose line burst on the exterior of the structure near Engine 102. The hose line struck the driver of Engine 102 in the head and knocked him to the ground, unconscious. Medical personnel from Medic 109 and Paramedic 89 quickly began to treat the downed firefighter and subsequently requested Maryland State Police Aviation to transport the patient to Shock Trauma.
The fire grew as crews worked to cut it off from extending through the concealed spaces and walls of the house. Command requested an evacuation of the structure on two separate occasions; to regroup and knock the fire down from the exterior as fire eventually burned through the roof. With the fire knocked down on both occasions, crews reentered the structure and extinguished the remaining hot spots. The fire was finally placed under control at 19:02 hrs.
Temperatures were in the single digits, challenging firefighters on the scene to battle with frozen hose lines and equipment, as well as slippery conditions on the entire fire ground. DECON 30 was brought to the scene for "Rehab" (A warm area to assist in re-warming fire crews). Canteen service was also brought to the scene by Station 10 personnel.
All Station 8 units returned to the station at around 2100 hrs.
The Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office was also called to the scene, as well as the American Red Cross since the home could not be occupied. The injured New Windsor Firefighter was treated at Shock Trauma and released the next day. According to reports from Station 10, he is currently resting at home recovering from the injuries he sustained.
Units on Location: E-101, E-102, B-105, M-109, Decon 30, U-10, U-10-1, Chief 10-1 (New Windsor); E-81, E/T-82, PM-89, U-8, U-8-1, Chief 8 (Union Bridge); E-33, TW-3, Chief 3-1 (Westminster); E-141, E142 (Winfield); L-5 (Taneytown), E-61, E-63, Chief 6 (Pleasant Valley); RS-9, Chief 9-2 (Reese); Frederick Co RS-16 (Woodsboro); Air Unit 7 (Lineboro); FM-33, FM-36 (MSFMO), Trooper-3 (MSP Aviation); Carroll Co. Sheriff's Office; Carroll Co. Roads Department; Potomac Edison |
