News

Working House Fire - Serenity Place, Martin St.

Thursday, July 2, 2015

On June 7, 2011 at 1248, the Dover Fire Department was dispatched for a reported mulch fire in front of a residence. The call was quickly upgraded to a working alarm when the local communications centers began taking numerous calls of the house now on fire. Duty Officer Capt. Hall was first to arrive on scene to find a 2-story drug treatment center with heavy fire and smoke conditions on the “A” side of the structure. E7 was the first arriving engine on scene and established a water supply. Command instructed them to place their deck gun in service to knock down the bulk of the fire so access to the door could be made with a 1 ¾” attack line. E3 arrived next on scene and pulled a second 1 ¾” attack line to assist crew’s from E7. As crews were inside, the fire progressed into the knee walls and the attic space. L 2 arrived on scene and placed the tower ladder in service. Due to deteriorating conditions complicated by construction type and winds, a second alarm was struck. As additional units arrived on scene, additional attack lines were placed in service and vertical ventilation was completed. A primary and secondary search of the residence proved negative with all 10 occupants accounted for. 4 firefighters suffered minor burns and were treated/released at the scene. The scene was placed under control and all units remained on scene for approximately 2 hours performing overhaul and hitting hot spots. The fire has been ruled accidental by the City of Dover Fire Marshal’s Office as the result of a discarded cigarette butt into the landscaping mulch at the front of the residence. Units on Scene: Dover: E3, E7, L2, Camden-Wyoming VFC: E41-1, E41-3 Cheswold VFC: E 43-3 Magnolia VFC: E55-4 Clayton VFC: QUINT 45 Little Creek VFC: E54-5, E54-4 Hartly VFC: E51-3 (Cover-up DFD Station 2) Frederica VFC: L49 (Cover-up DFD Station 1) BLS: A-63, A-55 ALS: KCDPS KM7, KM5 City of Dover FMO Dover Police Dept Kent County Fire Police City of Dover Electric Dept. American Red Cross