Our first unit, Engine 68, responded within a minute, at 12:04 pm. First arriving was Kent & Queen Annes Rescue Squad Deputy Chief 8 (A. Schauber). He reported fire at the far end of a 550’ commercial poultry house. These structures are designed for growing (chicken) broilers. It is not an egg laying operation. (The capacity of one of these poultry houses is about 20,000. Approximately one-half were lost because of this fire.) Still enroute, the front seat officer of Engine 68 (Chief John “Otis” Darling) requested the “Working Fire Dispatch” and a “Tanker Task Force” These measures increase, supplement and augment the resources that have already been dispatched. In addition, as Queen Annes County fire units were clearing an incident near Barclay (south of Sudlersville), our Bakers Lane Command (Chief 6) made a special request to have these units added to this fire. (Fires during the week… during the day, can be tricky and challenging as manpower is thin.)

The crew from Engine 68, the first arriving fire suppression unit, found heavy fire in the roof area of the structure. They deployed about 300’ of a 3” leader line, which was then gated down into two 1-3/4” fire attack handlines (hose lines). An additional 1-3/4” handline was deployed from Queen Annes Engine 71 (Crumpton VFC). To get at the fire, and working in zero visibility smoke conditions, crews worked aggressively with hooks and pike poles to pull the ceiling of the poultry house. The fire was declared under control at 1:27 pm.

This fire required an elaborate water supply to support firefighting operations. Two portable folding water tanks were dropped in a spacious area outside the poultry house area. (There are multiple poultry houses at this farm.) By setting up a water relay back to the fire in an open area, this provided fire tankers with plenty of room to turn around after dumping their load of water in the folding tanks.

With multiple tankers working this “Water Shuttle”, several fill sites were established. These fill sites include:

1.) A hydrant on the Fairlee domestic water system, near Chestertown Road (Maryland 20) and Old Fairlee Road.

2.) A hydrant on the Chestertown domestic water system, on Flatland Road (Maryland 514) near Devon Drive.

3.) A draft site (pond) in the 9100 block of Earl Nicholson Road, which was the closest.

Choptank Electric was notified and responded to disconnect electric power to the fire structure.

There were no injuries because of this fire.

During this fire, crews and equipment from Millington VFC and Church Hill VFC stood by in our station, to provide continued Fire & Life Safety Protection for our community.

Crews worked at this fire nearly 4-1/2 hours. Once back at the station, Chestertown VFC members spent about 1-1/2 hours washing and repacking fire hose, cleaning and servicing our SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus, a.k.a. “air packs”, and various other tasks such as the initial cleaning of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).

Photographs by the Chestertown VFC. Media may use with attribution.

Companies and agencies working this incident:

Chestertown VFC

Millington VFC

Galena VFC

Kennedyville VFC

Betterton VFC

Church Hill VFC

Sudlersville VFC

Centreville VFC

Marydel VFC (Caroline County)

Goldsboro VFC (Caroline County)

Kent & Queen Annes Rescue Squad

Kent County EMS

Kent County Sheriffs Office

Choptank Electric