Firefighters battle fire and ice in two-alarm Westminster blaze
Units across county help in fighting house fire
By Kevin Dayhoff
kevindayhoff@gmail.com
kevindayhoff@gmail.com
Posted 1/09/11 http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/5063/firefighters-battle-fire-ice-two-alarm-westminster-blaze/
Area firefighters had their hands full Saturday afternoon as they battled the winter weather and lack of water at a two-alarm blaze north of Westminster.
The fire was called in to the Carroll County emergency operations center at 1:30 p.m. When units from the Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Co. No. 1 arrived at 1:42 p.m., the two-story 3,500-square-foot house in the 1000 block of Phyllis’s Reward Drive, just north of Westminster, showed heavy black smoke, according to Bob Cumberland, Westminster Fire Department president and public information officer.
Shortly after arriving on the scene, incident commander Lt. Josh Evans requested a tanker task force and Rapid Intervention Dispatch to battle.
A second alarm was sounded. The rural location of the home, outside of available hydrants, presented firefighters with constant water supply issues.
The freezing cold, light snow on the ground, along with the water being used on the fire freezing on the ground, made matters worse.
The Carroll County roads crews assisted by salting the ground to help with the ice. Nearby neighbors, Dale and Teresa Fletcher, opened their home – and their garage -- for firefighters to set up a relief station for the 80 to 100 firefighters from three counties to periodically take refuge in shifts.
More than 40 pieces from every fire station in Carroll, except Harney, fought the blaze. Harney provided back-up services, while units from Baltimore County and York and Adams counties, Pa., also assisted... http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/5063/firefighters-battle-fire-ice-two-alarm-westminster-blaze/
The fire was called in to the Carroll County emergency operations center at 1:30 p.m. When units from the Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Co. No. 1 arrived at 1:42 p.m., the two-story 3,500-square-foot house in the 1000 block of Phyllis’s Reward Drive, just north of Westminster, showed heavy black smoke, according to Bob Cumberland, Westminster Fire Department president and public information officer.
Shortly after arriving on the scene, incident commander Lt. Josh Evans requested a tanker task force and Rapid Intervention Dispatch to battle.
A second alarm was sounded. The rural location of the home, outside of available hydrants, presented firefighters with constant water supply issues.
The freezing cold, light snow on the ground, along with the water being used on the fire freezing on the ground, made matters worse.
The Carroll County roads crews assisted by salting the ground to help with the ice. Nearby neighbors, Dale and Teresa Fletcher, opened their home – and their garage -- for firefighters to set up a relief station for the 80 to 100 firefighters from three counties to periodically take refuge in shifts.
More than 40 pieces from every fire station in Carroll, except Harney, fought the blaze. Harney provided back-up services, while units from Baltimore County and York and Adams counties, Pa., also assisted... http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/5063/firefighters-battle-fire-ice-two-alarm-westminster-blaze/
Labels: Fire CC Depts, Fire CC Depts 03 Westminster, Firefighters, Public Safety Carroll Co Emerg Resp, Public Safety Emerg Resp safety
Kevin Dayhoff Explore Carroll: Firefighters battle fire and ice in two-alarm Westminster blaze
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