EMS providers treated the firefighter on site, and crews from multiple counties assisted in putting out the fire
By: Leila Merrill – FireRescue1
Maryland Line Volunteer Fire Company firefighters and surrounding agencies battled a house fire in Parkton that resulted in a mayday when a firefighter fell through the floor.
Firefighters were called to the 19600 block of Graystone Road in Parkton around 9:20 p.m., Sunday evening for a reported dwelling fire.
Crews arrived to a working fire in a single-family dwelling. Firefighters from Maryland Line and Hereford stretched lines into the structure for fire control, but had to withdrawal due to changing conditions, according to a post on Maryland Line Volunteer Fire Company’s Facebook page.
Once firefighters got a bulk of the fire knocked down, crews had re-entered the structure when the mayday was called after a firefighter fell through the floor. Firefighters were able to quickly locate and extricate the firefighter.
The firefighter was evaluated by paramedics. Firefighters from Baltimore County, Harford County, and York County in Pennsylvania assisted with operations.
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Eight children are among the 12 people killed following a fire at two apartment units owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority in the city’s Fairmount neighborhood Wednesday morning. The Philadelphia Fire Department arrived to heavy flames at the building on the 800 block of North 23rd Street just after 6:30 a.m.
“It was terrible, most of, I’ve been around for 30, 35 years now and this is probably one of the worst fires I’ve ever been to,” Philadelphia Deputy Fire Commissioner Craig Murphy said during a press conference.
Murphy says the number of victims is “dynamic because there is still an ongoing recovery effort.”
Eight people evacuated the building and two additional people were transported to CHOP and Temple University Hospital.
“We’re getting multiple calls, reported people inside,” was heard on dispatch audio.
Dispatch audio and cellphone video take you into the moments the row home went up in flames. The multi-unit was home to at least 26 people.
“We got heavy fire filling the second floor, heavily smoke third floor, prepare for rescue,” was heard on dispatch audio.
From the moment they arrived, fire crews attacked this blaze aggressively.
Fire officials say there was heavy fire in the second-floor kitchen area.
Crews got the fire under control by 7:31 a.m.
Murphy says the building was divided into two apartments. The first-floor unit reportedly had eight occupants and the second and third-floor unit had 18 people living in it.
The multi-unit building had a described “odd layout,” possibly preventing a safe escape.
“Other than front door and rear entrance, because of the odd configuration of the house, all I know of is two exits,” Murphy said.
Officials say Licenses and Inspections will determine if it was OK for that many people to live inside each unit.
The home is owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority. According to the PHA, there are seven smoke detectors and three carbon monoxide detectors in Unit A and six smoke detectors and three carbon monoxide detectors in Unit B. This makes a total of 13 smoke and six carbon monoxide detectors in the building that did not operate.
“Most recent inspection on B unit was May 5, 2021, and at that time, we had six smoke detectors and three carbon monoxide detectors working,” Indala said. “We had to replace two batteries in two smoke detectors, all replaced. On a previous inspection, 9/28/2019, we also had to replace smoke detectors again in the same unit. On A unit, the latest inspection on 4/23 and two smoke detectors were installed and there were seven smoke detectors and three carbon monoxide detectors present and they were signed by the tenant as a part of the smoke detector response form.”
Indala says PHA was not aware that 26 people were living inside the unit.
“No, we were not,” Indala said. “We are cooperating with fire department and everyone else in the investigation right now. It’s L&I stuff. All the family hasn’t been notified yet so we don’t want to comment on who and what. The count for the number of people on that property is too high.”
The PHA does inspections annually and the last was in May 2021. Indala adds that it’s the holidays and it’s unclear if “they have people coming and visiting.”
Murphy says the fire is not considered suspicious at this time, but the Philadelphia Fire Department’s Fire Marshal’s Office is leading the investigation because of the loss of life.
As the investigation continues, an emotional Mayor Jim Kenney asked the public to reserve judgment as the city mourns an unspeakable tragedy.
“This is undoubtedly one of the most tragic days in our city,” Kenney said.
The destructive blaze is being thoroughly investigated by multiple agencies. With the fire department’s deputy commissioner saying this is one of the worst fires he’s seen in his 30-plus year career.
“We are working with the Fire Marshal’s Office, we plan and intend on getting a cause for the fire, making sure this tremendous loss of life didn’t happen in vain,” Murphy said.
ATF agents also responded to the scene to assist.
There are reports this fire may have been started by a Christmas tree. However, investigators are still going through evidence and haven’t released an official cause.
The NFPA says that the Philadelphia rowhome fire that claimed the lives of 12 people, including eight children, tied for the sixth deadliest fire since 1980.
The loss of 12 people, including eight children, tied for the sixth deadliest fire since 1980, according to data collected by the NFPA.
Officials said the rowhome, owned by the city’s Public Housing Authority, had four smoke detectors but none were working in their investigation after the fire.
According to the most recent NFPA Smoke Alarms in the US Home Fires report, almost three out of five home fire deaths occurred in properties with no smoke alarms or smoke alarms that failed to operate.
The report showed that 25 percent of the smoke alarm failures were due to dead batteries, with disconnected or non-working power sources accounting for the bulk of the non-working detectors.
Below is a breakdown of the top nine deadliest home fires in the U.S. since 1980, according to NFPA data.
Thronwood firefighter Sean Carroll – who comes from a firefighting family – died in a fire that started in the basement of his home.
November 27, 2021 – Source Firehouse.com News
A family committed to public safety lost a firefighter-son in a tragic early morning fire at their Thornwood home on Thanksgiving Day.
Thornwood firefighters were called to the home on Kensico Road and Warren Avenue shortly after 5 a.m. and reported no signs of a fire from the exterior.
Firefighters knocked on the door of the home to alert four occupants of the home to the fire, according to News 12.
Thronwood Fire Chief James Gedris told the television station that the fire started in the basement and became visible shortly after they arrived.
A 26-year-old man was perished in the fire.
According to a post on the Thornwood Fire Department Facebook page, firefighter Sean Carroll is the man who died. He was an eight-year member of the department and served as the department’s recording secretary.
In a post on FundtheFirst.com, it states Carroll’s father, Richard, and brother, Matt, are also Thornwood firefighters. Rich is a police officer with Rye Brook Police Department and Matt is an FDNY firefighter.
Sean Carroll, 26, a Thornwood firefighter, died in a house fire that displaced his brother, an FDNY firefighter and his father, a Rye Brook police officer.
Firefighters from seven departments responded to the scene and the fire was placed under control in an hour.
Officials told News 12 that the fire is believed to have been accidental and electric-related.
Viewing hours will be Sunday with a funeral mass Sunday morning.
Fire at the home owned by the dad of the Avett Brothers band destroyed dozens of guitars and an art collection.
November 27, 2021 – Source Firehouse.com News
A fire on Friday destroyed 60 guitars and up to 100 paintings at the Concord home of Jim Avett, father of Scott and Seth Avett of the Avett Brothers band.
“The fire started from a golf cart,” Jim Avett posted on Facebook late Friday. “Half the house is totally beyond repair.”
As they rushed to the scene just before 1 p.m., firefighters saw “a smoke column from a distance,” according to a Facebook post by the Allen Volunteer Fire Department.
Firefighters on the first engine to arrive noticed “heavy fire from the garage,” fire officials said in the post. They entered the house to keep the flames from spreading.
Firefighters from four other fire departments arrived with more water and helped attack the fire, according to the Allen Fire Department post.
Today at 12:53PM, AVFD was dispatched to a possible structure fire. While enroute, units could see a smoke column from a distance. Allen Engine 3 arrived on scene to find heavy fire coming from the garage. Allen personnel started fire attack and entered the residence to prevent extension throughout the entire home. Homeowners on scene were not injured. Two K9’s were rescued. Over 60 guitars were removed from the residence. Mutual aid companies arrived on scen…See more
No one was hurt, fire officials said.
“Great team work by all involved!” the fire department posted.
Jim Avett said a cat is missing.
He said the guitars “were almost a total loss” and all of the art was destroyed.
His sons’ band, The Avett Brothers, is the nationally touring, N.C.-based Americana/country-rock/country-folk/folk-rock band.
“While we are saddened by this setback it is not a knockout punch,” Avett posted on Facebook. “We have the strength, attitude, faith and abilities to move forward. And we will!”
He thanked everyone “for your most gracious and kind words. They mean the world to this family.”
East Providence firefighters battled a labor intensive fire in a three unit home leaving all three families without a place to live.
November 27, 2021 – Firehouse.com news
Three families are homeless after a fire in a second floor unit spread, causing damage to all three units in the East Providence building.
A nearby neighbor who noticed the fire called 9-1-1 summoning the fire department to the three-story building.
East Providence Fire Chief Glenn Quick told WPRI 12 News, “upon arrival, firefighters found heavy fire on the second floor and made and aggressive interior attack.”
Firefighters were able to control the fire in about 20 minutes. The Providence Fire Department was called to assist with this labor intensive fire.
A two-alarm apartment fire in Wichita has left four units damage and one person in critical condition at a local hospital.
November 27, 2021 – By Michael Stavola – Source The Wichita Eagle
Nov. 27—One person was unresponsive after an apartment fire Friday night in north Wichita, officials said.
The fire was reported at 5:57 p.m. in the 2100 block of North Broadmoor, near 21st and Rock. The fire was severe enough that firefighters called for extra personnel. One person was unresponsive, according to a 911 emergency communications supervisor.
Around 6:40 p.m., a first responder said EMS still was working on the person, according to scanner traffic.
Photos from the Wichita Fire Department Twitter page show both stories of the building blackened from the flames.
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November 26, 2021 – By Amanda Oglesby – Source Asbury Park Press
NEPTUNE CITY — Firefighters rescued a woman on Thanksgiving night who was trapped in a burning home on Adams Way, according to Neptune City Police.
Police arrived to the home, located on the 1200 block of Adams Way, around 7:40 p.m. and found a woman who said her sister was upstairs and unable to get out, Police Chief Matthew Quagliato said.
The first arriving officers extinguished a portion of the fire, but due to heavy smoke, were unable to see to reach the trapped woman, he said.
” The Neptune City Fire Department arrived on location and was able to locate the female on the second floor and escorted her safely from the residence,” the chief said in an email.
The Neptune City Fire Department extinguished the fire with assistance from the Asbury Park, Avon, Wall and Wanamassa fire departments, he said.
“The two residents were treated by the Neptune City First Aid Squad for smoke inhalation and burns,” Quagliato said.
Both the Monmouth County Fire Marshal’s Office and the Neptune City Fire Marshal are investigating.
Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers Brick, Barnegat and Lacey townships as well as the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than a decade. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, [email protected] or 732-557-5701.
A Thanksgiving Day fire in Milwaukee left one family homeless and two firefighters with injuries, including one who was transported to the burn center.
November 26, 2021 – Source Firehouse.com News
Two Milwaukee firefighters were injured at a residential fire that started in the basement and made its way to the attic on Thanksgiving morning.
One firefighter suffered second degree burns and was taken to the hospital for treatment at a local hospital, Fox 6 reports. The second firefighter fell down some stairs.
The two-alarm fire caused extensive damage to the structure.
A family that occupied the second floor was able to escape without injury and is being assisted by the Red Cross.
