| At approximately 9:41 p.m. Sunday evening, units from Leonardtown, Hollywood, and surrounding departments were dispatched to the 22300 block of Thornbury Drive for a reported house fire with two people believed to be trapped inside.
Engine 71 responded immediately upon dispatch, with Truck 7 responding shortly afterward as the first-due ladder truck. While responding it was confirmed through St. Mary’s ECC that there was atleast 1 person trapped inside the residence. Chief 3B, Chief 1A, Chief 7, Engine 10, and Engine 71 arrived simultaneously to find a two-story single-family home heavily involved in fire on the first and second floors, extending through the roof.
Engine 10 and Engine 71 each established their own water supply from nearby hydrants and immediately deployed attack lines and ground ladders while preparing for a rescue attempt. Engine 71 split its crew of six, deploying one attack line to the Alpha Division under the direction of Chief 3B and a second attack line to the Charlie Division under Chief 7.
Due to the significant volume of fire and a major structural collapse in the rear of the residence, crews were forced to maintain a defensive strategy until the bulk of the fire was brought under control.
Truck 7, operating as the first-due ladder company, immediately began placing ground ladders, securing utilities, and assisting the engine companies with fire attack operations.
Rescue Squad 7 and Engine 73 requested to run the assignment as part of the Working Incident Task Force and, upon arrival, were assigned operational responsibilities by Command.
Once conditions allowed, crews from Engine 71, Engine 10, Truck 7, and Rescue Squad 7 transitioned to an interior operation, conducting a systematic search while continuing fire suppression efforts. During the search, Rescue Squad 7 located one deceased victim on the second floor. It was later confirmed that there was only one victim inside the residence.
After the fire was extinguished and investigators from the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal arrived on scene, personnel from Engine 71, Truck 7, Rescue Squad 7, Engine 73, and Squad 1 assisted with the respectful removal of the victim from the second floor.
Units from Hollywood and Leonardtown remained on the scene until approximately 1a.m. Monday morning.
Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the victim's family, friends, and the entire community during this difficult time.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Any additional information will be released by the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal
Units that made the response:
Engine 71
Engine 73
Truck 7
Rescue Squad 7
Chief 7
Safety 7
Total of 23 personnel |
