| At 0247, units from Stonewall, Manassas, Bristow, Evergreen, and Coles District were dispatched to Box 1141 for a reported townhouse fire at 7511 Purdue Court. Callers reported a fire in the backyard extending to the house. As units were responding, a large column of smoke was visible, and Prince William advised a police officer was on the scene with the house fully involved.
E511 laid a line from the entrance to the court and arrived on the scene at 0250 with a two-story, middle unit townhouse with a large fire in the back yard extending to the house. The fire was melting all the siding and reaching into the eaves, threatening to involve the attic and an attached shed containing the gas service and multiple flammables. PD advised that the occupants of all the houses in the row had been evacuated. E511 stretched a handline and attacked the fire, knocking it down quickly and allowing Q504 (staffed by Stonewall while T511 was out of service) to bypass the fire and make entry to check for extension.
E501 arrived minutes later and E511 passed command to E501's Captain (Ellis). E501's crew rapidly stretched a second line up to support T511, then checked exposures B and D. E525B arrived and assumed the RIT. Chief 501 (Ward) arrived and assumed command from E501 just as E511 advised the fire on the exterior was extinguished.
E501 and T511 determined that the fire had not extended inside the house, and Purdue Command held 3 engines and the Quint to effect overhaul and take up equipment. E511 and Q504 remained on the scene assisting the Fire Marshal with his investigation. All units were clear by 0426.
Most notable about this fire is the reaction time: E511 arrived on the scene less than 4 minutes from the time tones woke crews in the bunkrooms. The rapid response and quick, coordinated actions by all units prevented the fire from penetrating into the house and displacing a family just 2 nights before Christmas.
This was the second fire on Purdue Court in as many shifts. Sunday afternoon, Crew A and BC501Y (Wood) responded to a fire at 7539 Purdue Court, just across the courtyard from the Tuesday morning fire. That afternoon, crews made quick work of a top floor fire in an unoccupied townhouse. Both fires are under investigation. |
