Damage pictures from Baltimore County Fire Department
An alarm alerted firefighters to a fire in the bay area of Baltimore County Station 6 at 2815 Sollers Point Road around 2:30 this morning. The fire went to two-alarms and there were no injuries. This is the Baltimore County Fire Department’s career station in Dundalk.
A Baltimore County Fire Department spokesperson says the firefghters were able to get one engine out of the firehouse (reported to be Engine 61) and begin attacking the fire. The station had additional personnel because many firefighters scheduled to work the next day were sleeping at the station due to the latest snowstorm.
Officials said firefighters sleeping in the firehouse’s living quarters, which is next to the fire engine bay, awoke to the sound of a fire alarm. When they opened the bay door, they saw heavy smoke and fire and immediately evacuated, Price said. Numerous explosions were reported from oxygen tanks in the medic units.
Inside were eight firefighters and paramedics assigned to the overnight shift, as well as five firefighters from day work who spent the night and two members of the National Guard who were helping crews respond to calls in the heavy snow storm. Price said one firefighter managed to drive one engine out of the bay and crews were able to train hoses on the fire “to keep it in check.”
Click the image for Google Maps Street View of Station 6.
But the fire quickly spread and dozens of firefighters from other companies were called in to help. Shortly after 4 a.m., fire commanders deemed the building unsafe and crews were ordered to train water on it from the outside. Price said the roof collapsed from the fire, which was placed under control shortly after 4:30 a.m.Three manhole covers then exploded about a block away, at Merritt Boulevard at Sollers Point Road, due to a natural gas leak. No injuries were reported. This morning, a crane was called in to removed debris.
According to the Baltimore County website, Station 6 houses Engine 6, Engine 61, Brush 6, Medic 6 and Medic 106.
Officials said firefighters sleeping in the firehouse’s living quarters, which is next to the fire engine bay, awoke to the sound of a fire alarm. When they opened the bay door, they saw heavy smoke and fire and immediately evacuated, Price said. Numerous explosions were reported from oxygen tanks in the medic units.
