Halfway Responds To House Fire On Box 10-11

On the afternoon of January 27th, Halfway was alerted at 13:55 hours to assist on a House Fire at 9539 Garis Shop Road on Box 10-11. Boonsboro Captain 6 arrived establishing Command reporting they had a single-story Rancher with smoke showing. Upon arrival Captain 6 passed Command to Lieutenant Smothers on Engine 261.

Firefighters made entry finding heavy smoke in the garage and began fire attack while additional crews began their primary search. Two attack lines were stretched to begin fire attack on side alpha of the structure. Interior crews were able to quickly locate the fire in the garage area and get a quick knock down. Command reported the fire under control at 14:21 hours.

Firefighters were committed on the scene conducting over-haul operations and checking the house for extension. The house was checked and confirmed clear at which time Command began releasing units scaling the assignment back to two Engines and a Truck holding HFD Engine 1, Engine 261, and Tower 26 along with the Washington County Rehab Unit. Those units remained on the scene for a brief period with FM 26 from the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

The preliminary cause of the fire was deemed to be due to an electrical failure in a treadmill located in the garage. Firefighters were able to keep the fire contained to the garage keeping the estimated loss to $15,000. Lieutenant Smothers passed Command to Funkstown Chief 10 around 15:00 hours at which time Chief 10 released Company 26 units to clear the scene while he remained with HFD Engine 1 and FM26. The fire was accidental in nature and no injuries were reported. Funkstown Chief 10 reported all operations were complete at 15:15 hours at which time Command was terminated and remaining units cleared the scene.

Crews responding on Box 10-11 that day responded from Hagerstown South End Fire Company (Engine 5), First Hagerstown Hose Company (Engine 1), Volunteer Fire Company of Halfway (Co.26), Boonsboro Fire Company (Co.6&8), Community Fire Company of District 12 (Fairplay Co.12), Sharpsburg Fire Company (Co.1), Boonsboro Rescue Company (Co.69), Community Rescue Service (Co.75), Smithsburg EMS (Co.79), Washington County EMS1814, Washington County DES 1801, Mt Aetna Fire Company (Co.16), Williamsport Fire & EMS (Co.2), Washington County Emergency Support Services (Air & Rehab 25), Washington County Fire Police, and the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office (FM26) .