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Word from the Medstar Burn Unit of the Washington Hospital Center is that Bladensburg VFD Firefighter Ethan Sorrell and Firefighter Kevin O'Toole remain in critical but stable condition. Sorrell has respiratory burns and O'Toole has second and third degree burns over 40% of his body.
As we reported earlier, O'Toole and Sorrell both requested that the annual Bladensburg VFD banquet on Saturday continue as planned. We are told that Firefighter O'Toole was able to visit the event via Skype.
Riverdale VFD Firefighter Michael McClary went home Saturday afternoon. The picture above and the information below is from the Riverdale VFD website:
Firefighter Michael McClary was released from the hospital this afternoon. He is still suffering from his injuries sustained when crewmembers were forced to make a hasty retreat from a house fire at 6404 57th Ave. in Riverdale Heights when fire conditions coupled with high wind gusts caused fire to envelop the crews from E807B and TK809 upon entry to the house. It is believed that another firefighter fell on top of FF McClary, who suffered bruised ribs and cartilage damage.
PGFD Chief Mark Bashoor and Bladensburg Chief Randy Kuenzli are interviewed in the TV stories on this page about the firefighters and the fire on Friday evening on 57th Avenue.
Here's what Chief Bashoor told The Washington Post's J. Freedom du Lac about the fire:
Strong winds were gusting out of the west at the time — “up to 40, 45 mph,” said the chief. They were blowing directly at — and into — the burning basement, which had a west-facing door.
“As soon as the guys opened the front door and advanced, it blew from the basement, up the steps and right out the front door,” Bashoor said. “It was like a blowtorch coming up the steps and out the door.”
The entire incident — “from the time they were in the door until they were burned” — took eight seconds, the chief said.
The firefighters inside the house “did everything they were trained to do,” he said, but they were essentially defenseless.
“Without that wind, the hot air and gases would have been venting out of the rear of the house,” he said. “The current of air essentially produced a chimney right up the steps and out the front door.”
Also on STATter911 …
- UPDATED – Latest on PGFD injured firefighters: Bladensburg firefighters have a brief visit with each other. Parents meet the press. Interviews with firefighters who were inside home. – February 26, 2012
- Latest from PGFD: Bladensburg VFD Firefighters Ethan Sorrell & Kevin O’Toole both in critical condition with burns. – February 25, 2012
- Fireground audio & morning update: Seven firefighters hurt in Prince George’s County, MD when high winds send ‘blowtorch’ through home. Two from Bladensburg admitted to burn center. Both critical. – February 24, 2012
- UPDATED: PGFD says fire that hurt seven firefighters was arson. New picture from burn unit of Bladensburg VFD’s Kevin O’Toole. – February 29, 2012
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I am sending prayers from out hre in the boondocks for the rapid recovery of all the PG fire fighters injured in this awful fire.
I'm glad the brothers can surround them and their families with love and support.
Prayers for a speedy recovery to the injured Brothers from P.G. County. The Chief is quoted as saying that due to 40 – 45 MPH winds blowing against the basement door, the fire rapidly extended up the stairs and enveloped the first floor as firefighters opened and entered the front door. Is it known yet whether the basement door had failed due to the heavy fire in the basement or was it left open by fleeing occupants? Clearly, Firefighters would not have opened that basement door while being aware of the high wind condition at their backs, heavy volume of fire in the basement, open interior stairway and Firefighters entering the floor above via the front door. Hopefully a panel of very experienced fire service mishap investigators will do a thorough investigation and provide a report that the entire fire service will be able to access so that a reoccurrence of this type of tragedy may be averted.
This sounds similar to the "trench effect" like what was seen in the King's Cross London fire where the sloped stairway funneled the heat and fire into an unstoppable blowtorch fire.