Large Trash Fire at the County Landfill

May 25, 2004 0520 hrs:

Engine Co.3 was alerted for a report of a trash fire at the Charles County Landfill on Billingsley Road. Upon arrival, Engine 33 found a large fire in the landfill encompassing over an acre of trash. Due to the amount of debris on fire and no fire hydrants inside the landfill, 2 additional engine companies and 3 tankers were requested to respond. Engine 33's crew used the 100ft bumper trash line to start knocking down some of the fire until the tanker-shuttle water supply could setup. After the additional units arrived on scene, Engine 33 and Hughesville Engine 23 operated their deckguns on the fire. The closest fire hydrant to the incident was located over a mile away on Piney Church Road. Due to the distance and delay in the water supply, 2 additional tankers were requested to respond. Over 1,000 gallons of water a minute was flowed on the fire for over 2-1/2 hours before the fire was placed under control and turned over to the Landfill personnel. Landfill personnel continued with overhauling using large earth-moving equipment. Units began picking up and returning to service with the last unit clearing at 0805 hours.

Waldorf Responding Units: Engine 33, Engine 32, Engine 122, Tanker 12, Ambulance 38, and Chief 3.

Mutual Aid Units: Hughesville Engine 23 & Tanker 2, La Plata Tanker 1, Baden Tanker 36, Mechanicsville Tanker 2.