Halfway Responds For A House Fire On Virginia Avenue

On the evening of July 25th, Halfway was alerted for a house fire on Virginia Avenue. Engine 261 responded and was the first on scene with Fire Showing on the Delta Side of the structure. Ambulance 268 and Medic 269 arrived and split crews assisting with Fire Attack and Suppression Support. Engine 261 stretched a 200ft attack line with the firefighters off the medic unit to begin fire attack. Engine 5 arrived and dropped a supply line to Engine 261. FUnkstown Engine 102 assisted with manpower pulling ladders and ventilating the 2nd division as firefighters off Support 26 and Williamsport Engine 21 made entry through a 2nd floor window on Side Alpha with a second attack line off E261.

At 18:10 Lieutenant 2 established command and crews had made a significant knock of the fire on the porch. Assistant Chief 2 arrived and assumed Command and crews observed they still had smoke coming from the eves of the structure. Smoke continued to get heavier. Interior crews reported heavy smoke and heat conditions. The fire had extended into the attic area of the residence.

At 18:17 Command confirmed and reported all occupants were out and accounted for. 2ND Division crews were able to find and confirm fire in the attic. With deteriorating conditions Command called for the EVAC tones at 18:31 and crews went to a defensive attack. Once in a defensive mode, Engine 261 placed the Deck Gun in-service as Tower 26 repositioned on the Alpha / Bravo Corner and set up for Ladder Pipe Operations. Exterior crews set up flowing water from multiple attack lines into the Attic Windows while E261 and TWR26 concentrated their master streams into the Alpha Side Attic Windows. Hagerstown Truck 4 arrived and was able to get in position and begin their Ladder Pipe on the Delta Side concentrating their stream on the Charlie / Delta Section.

At 20:06 fire was deemed out; Command began downsizing the incident holding Company 26 units. Once all hose and equipment were wrapped up, a majority of the units cleared the scene. Tower 26 remained on the scene to assist the FM’s as needed. At 21:38 all FD Ops were complete, and Tower 26 cleared the scene.

The incident is currently under investigation by the State FM’s Office. The American Red Cross was notified for the occupants affected.