A Berwyn Heights resident is hospitalized after sustaining burn injuries during a fire inside of her house. At about 4:45 pm, Sunday, October 30, Fire/EMS units from the Berwyn Heights and the College Park area were alerted to a house fire in the 8500 hundred block of 58th Avenue. Berwyn Heights firefighters arrived to find fire coming from the 1-story single family home and an adult female just exiting her home. Paramedics tended to the injured adult female as firefighters worked to extinguish the fire. The adult female resident was transported by paramedics to a Burn Unit in fair condition. It appears that she was the only person at home when the fire started.
There were about 35 firefighters and medics that required about 10 minutes to extinguish the fire. Fire Investigators believe the fire started in the master bedroom located in the rear of the house. The cause of the fire remains under investigation until Investigators have an opportunity to interview the resident, however, they believe the fire to be accidental. Fire loss is estimated at $80,000 for the structure and contents.
A spokeswoman for the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department has told Gazette.net, "As of 0700 hours Sunday morning, we suffered the most devastating loss of leadership in the history of the department. Both our chief and our president have resigned, [and] the majority of our operating officers have resigned their positions as well."
This is the latest development in the battle between the leadership at Burtonsville and Montgomery County Chief Richard Bowers.
Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Chief Robert E. Ryan and four other senior volunteer officials resigned from their posts as Burtonsville volunteers Saturday while also requesting demotions from the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service that oversees both career and volunteer firefighters countywide.
The move came in response to county fire and rescue service Chief Richard R. Bowers' Feb. 24 decision to transfer command of the Burtonsville station to career firefighters following complaints that the station's volunteers were mistreating their career counterparts, even urinating on the door handles of career firefighters' vehicles, said county fire and rescue spokesman Assistant Chief Scott Graham. Volunteer officials contested the complaints, saying those that were found to be substantive had been investigated and dealt with while also arguing that Bowers' action was illegal, said Burtonsville Volunteer Firefighter Department spokeswoman Tami Bulla.
Since Saturday, a steady number of volunteers have shown up to help the department staff its emergency response vehicles, according to both Graham and Bulla.
At least two command-level volunteers, a captain and a lieutenant, remain active with the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department, Bulla said, but the long-term future of volunteers at the station is uncertain.
A Bowie family was able to safely escape its home before it was destroyed by a raging fire late Wednesday night.
Officials tell 9 NEWS NOW firefighters were dispatched after receiving 911 calls reporting a house fire with people trapped in the 8600 block of Normal School Road around 10:45 p.m. Firefighters and paramedics responded to the scene found the home engulfed in flames.
Officials say firefighters were able to quickly account for all five family members when they arrived on scene.
Firefighters attacked the flames from outside the structure and were able to bring the fire under control by 11:20 p.m.
From PGFD Chief Spokesman Mark Brady:
Prince George’s County Firefighters battled a house fire in Bowie after being dispatched at about 10:45 pm, Wednesday, December 8, 2010. Firefighters and paramedics responded to the single family home in the 8600 block of Normal School Road after dispatchers received 911 calls reporting the fire. There was a 911 report that occupants were trapped inside the burning structure. Firefighters from Bowie Fire/EMS Station #819, Old Town, arrived with heavy fire showing. A family of six was soon safely accounted for as firefighters initiated an attack on the fire.
At 11:20 pm, incident commanders reported the bulk of the fire was knocked down.
No injuries reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation. The Fire/EMS Department Citizens Services Unit is on the scene offering assistance to the displaced family of 3 adults and 3 children.
In addition to Bowie #819, firefighters from Bowie (Free State), Northview, West Lanham Hills, Bowie (Pointer Ridge), Anne Arundel County, Glenn Dale and Greenbelt operated on the scene.–
Posted By PGFD to Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department at 12/08/2010 11:35:00 PM
On Saturday and Sunday the Nation will honor 105 firefighters who died in the line-of-duty. Once again, thanks to WUSA9.com, the U.S. Fire Administration’s PREPnet and Motorola, Inc., you will be able to watch Saturday’s Candlelight Service and Sunday’s Memorial Service live on the Internet. I have hosted these telecasts since 1996 and for about the last 10-years WTOP Radio’s Hillary Howard (Mrs. STATter911) has been the co-host. Of course, we would like to see you in Emmitsburg for the weekend events, but if you can’t make it, join us on the web.
As many of you know, since leaving my TV job in June, I have been doing work for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. I believe that one of the best ways you can honor the firefighters we are remembering this year is to help spread the word about the weekend. You can do so by making sure your department’s website is carrying the live coverage of the Candlelight Service & Memorial Service. It is simple to do. Just click here for an easy way to let your community see these important events. Also, let the news media in your area know they can carry the Memorial Weekend events on their websites.
There is a list above of some of those who have already committed to being a part of our Fire Hero Network. Can we add your website to this list? Just let us know by contacting me at dstatter@firehero.org.
There are many events the Foundation is involved in to raise money to help the families of fallen firefighters. Take a look at the video above from Dover International Speedway that I shot on Sunday. It was an honor to take a ceremonial lap around the track in the hose bed of a Dover fire engine with 12-year-old Joseph Tagliareni Jr. of Secaucus, NJ. His firefighter father died in 1999.
The money raised from these events helps families like the Tagliarenis. The total donated to the Foundation on Sunday was $93,000. The next NASCAR event is in February at the Daytona 500. Keep watching Firehero.org for details.
There is another important fundraiser for the Foundation coming up on Friday, October 8 in Chicago. It’s the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire. And the current Chicago Fire (the soccer team) has a special deal to benefit NFFF. Join us in a hospitality area at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois for food and drinks two hours prior to the start of the match. Click here to order tickets.
Most Recent Comments