Quade Circle House Fire

February 6, 0516 hours
reported by Chief Dan Stevens

At 0516 hours on February 6, at the height of a driving snow storm, Stations 3 and 12 were alerted for a working house fire at 4890 Quade Circle in Waldorf. EMS units arrived on the scene and reported a house fully involved. Engine 32 arrived on location and laid a line from the entrance to the subdivision. They confirmed a working fire and attach the fire with a 1-3/4" cross lay. A bystander reported the resident was still in the house. A second check revealed the sole occupant was at the neighbor's house. E-121 arrived and picked up E-32's line. Truck 1 arrived and supported E-32 with suppression operations and conducted a primary search. Chief 3 arrived and established the Quade Circle Command. Tanker 1 gave their water to E-121 and dropped their folding tank. E-121 crew advanced a second line to the structure. Tanker 1 was assigned water supply. The Waldorf Snow plow, which is used to clear the station parking lot had been added to all structure fires and on any call it was needed on. It cleared the road from Billingsley to the entrance to the subdivision. The plow cleared the area for the tanker shuttle and plowed the street into the incident location. Squad 2 arrived and was assigned the secondary search. Units operated on the scene under heavy snow conditions for about 3 hours. The Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office investigated and determined the fire was accidental originating at an outlet behind the sofa in the living room. Chief 11A held assumed the water supply from Tanker 1 who was driver only.

Waldorf Units: Engine 31, Engine 121, Tanker 12, Ambulance 38, & Chief 3.

Mutual Aid: Squad 2, Tanker 1, Truck 1, Chief 11A