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Fire destroys house near Purcellville
Posted by:
Loudoun County Fire & Rescue
()
Date: September 29, 2011 06:28AM
Fire destroys house near Purcellville
Monday, Sep. 26 by Matt Vecchio
http://www.loudountimes.com/index.php/news/article/fire_rescue_units_fighting_defensive_battle_against_Purcellvi_house_fire123/
Glenn Dell kicked in the front door of the house on Berlin Turnpike north of Purcellville near its intersection with Piggott Bottom Road. He was only met with smoke.
Dell, a worker in the area who has seen significant structural fires before, recognized that the house was in flames. He quickly ran to the house to make sure no one was inside; Loudoun County Fire-Rescue officials later confirmed that the house was unoccupied when the fire began.
“Within a matter of minutes [after the 1 p.m. 911 call], our firefighters had to go into what we call a defensive attack due to the extent of damages from the fire,” Loudoun Fire-Rescue spokeswoman Mary Maguire said.
The defensive strategy was employed to contain the spread of the fire, as the structural integrity of the house had become compromised, preventing firefighters from getting far inside.
Two people were taken to a nearby hospital from the scene of the blaze—a firefighter for a minor injury and a civilian for possible heat exhaustion.
The family of four that lived in the house was displaced. The family will stay with nearby relatives, and the American Red Cross is assisting as needed.
The fire must be completely under control before an investigation into its cause can begin. At that point, personnel can sift through debris and try to piece together what started the fire, a process Maguire says can be resolved immediately or take years.
Loudoun Fire-Rescue Chief W. Keith Brower Jr. was on the scene and said that, due to the isolated nature of the neighborhood, the departments had to get creative with how to fight the fire.
“Units first arrived on the scene to find heavy fires going from the garage area, first floor and second floor,” Brower said. “In this rural area of the county, with no fire hydrants, we have a lot of equipment here where we can bring water with us.”
That process is done using what is called a tanker task force. A bevy of trucks can shuttle water in from other areas and dump it into portable tanks away from the fire. That water can then be hosed to the scene.
A mobile command post was set up at the scene – which was shrouded in falling ash that appeared like a light snow – which instructed both career and volunteer firefighters from a variety of areas including Purcellville, Hamilton, Round Hill, Philomont, Lovettsville and Neersville.
Loudoun Fire-Rescue also had a rehabilitation area set up for firefighters on the scene in order to provide medical assistance and checkups for the firefighters who had experienced prolong exposure in the hot, smoky conditions.
“As you can see, this is a very labor-intensive operation,” Maguire said.
Smoke from the scene was visible from nearly three miles away on Route 7.
Firefighters battle a blaze on Berlin Turnpike near Piggott Bottom Road near Purcellville. The house is likely a total loss, and there was too much structural damage for Loudoun Fire Rescue personnel to venture far inside. Video still/Matt Vecchio
Attachments:
Monday, Sep. 26 by Matt Vecchio
http://www.loudountimes.com/index.php/news/article/fire_rescue_units_fighting_defensive_battle_against_Purcellvi_house_fire123/
Glenn Dell kicked in the front door of the house on Berlin Turnpike north of Purcellville near its intersection with Piggott Bottom Road. He was only met with smoke.
Dell, a worker in the area who has seen significant structural fires before, recognized that the house was in flames. He quickly ran to the house to make sure no one was inside; Loudoun County Fire-Rescue officials later confirmed that the house was unoccupied when the fire began.
“Within a matter of minutes [after the 1 p.m. 911 call], our firefighters had to go into what we call a defensive attack due to the extent of damages from the fire,” Loudoun Fire-Rescue spokeswoman Mary Maguire said.
The defensive strategy was employed to contain the spread of the fire, as the structural integrity of the house had become compromised, preventing firefighters from getting far inside.
Two people were taken to a nearby hospital from the scene of the blaze—a firefighter for a minor injury and a civilian for possible heat exhaustion.
The family of four that lived in the house was displaced. The family will stay with nearby relatives, and the American Red Cross is assisting as needed.
The fire must be completely under control before an investigation into its cause can begin. At that point, personnel can sift through debris and try to piece together what started the fire, a process Maguire says can be resolved immediately or take years.
Loudoun Fire-Rescue Chief W. Keith Brower Jr. was on the scene and said that, due to the isolated nature of the neighborhood, the departments had to get creative with how to fight the fire.
“Units first arrived on the scene to find heavy fires going from the garage area, first floor and second floor,” Brower said. “In this rural area of the county, with no fire hydrants, we have a lot of equipment here where we can bring water with us.”
That process is done using what is called a tanker task force. A bevy of trucks can shuttle water in from other areas and dump it into portable tanks away from the fire. That water can then be hosed to the scene.
A mobile command post was set up at the scene – which was shrouded in falling ash that appeared like a light snow – which instructed both career and volunteer firefighters from a variety of areas including Purcellville, Hamilton, Round Hill, Philomont, Lovettsville and Neersville.
Loudoun Fire-Rescue also had a rehabilitation area set up for firefighters on the scene in order to provide medical assistance and checkups for the firefighters who had experienced prolong exposure in the hot, smoky conditions.
“As you can see, this is a very labor-intensive operation,” Maguire said.
Smoke from the scene was visible from nearly three miles away on Route 7.
Firefighters battle a blaze on Berlin Turnpike near Piggott Bottom Road near Purcellville. The house is likely a total loss, and there was too much structural damage for Loudoun Fire Rescue personnel to venture far inside. Video still/Matt Vecchio
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Re: Fire destroys house near Purcellville
Posted by:
Concerned Parents
()
Date: September 30, 2011 07:13AM
I read about this yesterday and couldn't believe how fast that fire spread.