House Fire on Wilson Road

November 3, 2005

Volunteers from Waldorf were dipatched at 1658 hours for a working house fire on Wilson Lane, in the Carrington neighborhood. While enroute, Engine 31 was notified by communications that a member of EMS-3 was on the scene and advised the house was on fire with two persons possibly trapped. E-31 arrived on the scene and found that the house was actually on Wilson Road, adjacent to Wilson Lane. The 4-man crew of Engine 31, led by Lt. Ben Jenkins, found a two-story single family home with heavy smoke showing from the 1st and 2nd floor. Bystanders also advised 2 residents that were possibly trapped. While the crew pulled the attack line, E-31's driver, Firefighter Scott Sefton, forced entry to the front door and encountered heavy smoke conditions from floor to ceiling.

Lt. Jenkins and F/F Jeff Duer entered the structure immediately to search for the trapped victims. Lt. Jenkins found a elderly male victim about 10 feet inside the home and pulled him out, with the assistance of F/F Duer. The crew of EMS-399, EMT Susan Eshleman and EMT Fred Monday, with EMT Gary McGuigan, who was the member on the scene, assessed and treated the victim. F/F Marty Thompson utilized a 1 ¾" attack line to knock down the heavy fire on the first floor. E-31's driver utilized ladders and a hook to break windows on the 1st and 2nd floors on sides A, B and C to ventilate the house. On side C he found heavy fire on the exterior of the back of the home, extending into the soffit and attic.

After extinguishing all visible fire on the first floor, E-31's crew moved the attack line to the 2nd floor. Lt. Jenkins continued to search for the reported second victim while beginning to extinguish fire on the 2nd floor. Firefighter Duer utilized a second attack line pulled to the door by the driver to mop up fire on the 1st floor and to extinguish the fire on the exterior facade of side C.

Chief 3A John Durrer arrived on the scene and assumed command. Chief 3B DJ Mills arrived shortly thereafter and assumed interior command of the 2nd floor. E-31's driver dressed out and entered the 1st floor to perform a secondary search, which was negative.

Truck 1 arrived on the scene on side A, and was assigned the task of performing the second floor primary search. E-241 arrived and was ordered to the 2nd floor, where they opened up the ceilings and walls and assisted with extinguishment. E-241 and E-402 performed a secondary search of the 2nd floor, which was negative. E-121's crew performed various duties on both floors. It was later determined that the reported second victim was at work, and not in the home. RS-2 arrived on the scene and was established as the RIT team. One crew member of E-31 sustained a back injury during firefighting efforts and was transported to Fort Washington Hospital. He was later released and is doing well.

A Helicopter was called to transport the victim pulled from the home, but was cancelled due to the patient being in cardiac arrest. The crew of Amb-399 - Eshleman, Monday and McGuigan, along with Paramedic Ambulance 167's crew, did an outstanding job and were able to reestablish a pulse on the vicitm while enroute to Civista Medical Center. The victim was stabilized by Civista's Medical team and then placed on a ventilator and flown to Washington Hospital Center. The department was deeply saddened to learn that the victim later succumed to his injuries. Our sincere condolances go out to his family.

The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental by the MD State Fire Marshall.

Waldorf Units Responding: E-31, E-121, Amb-399, ParaAmb-39, Chief 3A, Chief 3B

Mutual Aid Units: E-241, E-402, Truck 1, RS-2, P-167, Amb 517

Other Units Responding: SMECO, MD State Fire Marsahll, American Red Cross, CCSO