Mutual Aid to Westminster - 600 Block of Barnes Avenue for the House Fire
 
By Chief Tom Coe
June 16, 2016
 

At 2:24am units from Westminster, Reese, Gamber and New Windsor were dispatched to the 600 Block of Barnes Avenue for a report of a house fire. Paramedic 37, just clearing the hospital, arrived to find a single family split foyer with heavy fire from the rear of the house as well as fire through the roof. Lieutenant 9-1 (Pratt) arrived and established the Barnes Avenue Command and requested the Rapid Intervention Dispatch as well as a Tanker Task Force as there were no fire hydrants in the area. As fire apparatus arrived crewed worked to quickly knock the bulk of the fire on the rear of the house and then rapidly made entry to completely extinguish the fire. The fire was declared under control within 40 minutes and crews worked for over 2 additional hours opening up the walls to extinguish hot spots.

Fortunately the 3 occupants of the home were alerted to the fire by smoke alarms and were able to escape the home without injury. The house was significantly damaged by the fire with estimates of damage to the structure and its contents exceeding $300,000. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office. The Red Cross is currently assisting the displaced residents. The New Windsor units returned to service at 5:42am.

NWFD Units: Engine 102, Chief 10

Other Units: Westminster- Engine 33, Tower 3, Paramedic 37, Utility 3; Reese- Engine 91, Engine 92, Rescue Squad 9, Paramedic 99; Gamber- Engine 131, Engine-Tanker 133; Winfield- Tanker 14; Pleasant Valley- Tanker 6; Baltimore County- Air Unit 14