Last month, we provided a little pictorial update of progress at the new Public Safety Training Academy. As you can imagine, since then, more progress has been made.
Below you will find a few photos with updates via our point person on the project Assistant Chief (ret) Mike Clemens.
Photo #1: steel shutters being installed in the single family burn building.
Photo #2: high-temp tile work being installed in the burn rooms of the single family burn building.
Photo #3: green roof being installed on the gym. Academic building will be next.
Photo #4: elevator installed in the parking garage.
Photo #5: painting of the high-bay walls and windows.
At approximately 1 a.m. on Monday, March 14 MCFRS Units responded to the 19300 block of Churubusco Lane in the Germantown area of Montgomery County. First arriving units reported heavy fire and smoke showing from a middle of the row townhouse.
Firefighters engaged in firefighting operations and initial indications were all occupants of the home were safely out. A short time later, there was a concern that one occupant was missing and perhaps still in the home. Search and rescue operations were quickly initiated.
During the search and rescue operations, a partial collapse of the front of the structure occurred trapping eight firefighters and triggering a “Mayday” alert for all on scene. The “Mayday” was short lived as the firefighters either self-rescued or were quickly assisted to safety.
All eight firefighters were transported to area hospitals with a variety of non-life threatening injuries. Eventually, all eight firefighters were treated and released.
It was later learned that all occupants had successfully evacuated and were safe.
The fire reached Three Alarms and a total of approximately 120 firefighters were on the scene.
Due to the extensive damage to the home, Fire Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire. Resources from the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Bureau, Montgomery County Department of Transportation, Montgomery County Police, Anne Arundel County Fire and Rescue (K9) and Annapolis City Fire Investigations Office.
Damage totals are not available at this time but the townhouse will be a total loss. There was also damage to adjoining homes which will result in a total of 20 people being displaced. Red Cross is assisting those displaced.
This
morning at 10:02 am MCFRS units were alerted to an auto fire at Rockville Pike
and Grosvenor Lane. Montgomery County Emergency Communications Center also advised
responding units that there was possibly one person trapped in the vehicle.
MCFRS units arrived and found an auto fire that was well involved but found no
one trapped inside the vehicle. The sole occupant of the vehicle was standing
by near the fire uninjured.
After the fire was extinguished the driver of the vehicle was asked about how
the fire started. He said that he was stopped at the traffic light and when the
light turned green the vehicle would not accelerate. Bystanders in other
vehicles started to point at him and the front of his vehicle. The gentleman
did not realize his vehicle was on fire until the smoke started to enter the
passenger compartment of his vehicle.
He
said he attempted to unlock the vehicle door with the electric lock switch but
they did not work. At that juncture, he said he panicked and did not think to
manually unlock the door.
Bystanders on the scene stated that two African-American males came to the occupants’
aid and broke out the rear driver's side window. The two men removed the driver
from the burning car. Upon the arrival of fire department personnel, these two
Good Samaritan’s were not on the scene.
MCFRS
would like to learn the identity of these two heroes in order to honor their heroic
deed. If you have any information
regarding this, please email fire.pio@montgomerycountymd.gov
This
morning at a little after 5 am, MCFRS Units were dispatched for a reported house
fire in the 5900 block of Willow Knoll Drive in Derwood.
First
arriving units encountered heavy fire to the rear of a two story, single family
home. All occupants were safely out of
the home as they awoke to a combination of a working smoke alarm and smoke in
the home.
Firefighters
quickly initiated an exterior attack to extinguish a large bulk of the fire and
then transitioned to interior operations to extinguish the remaining fire
located on the first and second floors.
The fire was quickly brought under control.
Approximately
fifty (50) firefighters were on scene. One
adult and two children were displaced as a result of the damage to the
home. Firefighters did rescue one guinea
pig though another guinea pig unfortunately succumbed to its injuries.
Cause
of the fire appears to be misplaced fireplace ashes in a combustible container
on the back porch/deck. Damage to the
home and contents is estimated to be approximately $300K ($250K to home and
$50K to contents).
Later
today, firefighters from Gaithersburg Fire Station #28 will return to the
neighborhood to go door to door handing out safety tips and offering to check
smoke alarms to ensure they are working.
