First arriving was Deputy Chief 6 / Russum. His Brief Initial Report was a house under construction, with smoke showing from the Charlie side, i.e., the rear of the home. (In the fire service Incident Command System, the sides of a fire structure are assigned a name beginning with the front and rotating clockwise around the structure. The basic description is Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta. This would mean the Charlie side is the rear of the house, as facing the water in this instance.) The Incident Command System is in universal use throughout the United States. At a structure fire / other type incident, a firefighter in Maryland will be on the same page as a firefighter in California, or anywhere else.

The first arriving fire suppression apparatus was Engine 6. An 1-3/4 hose was immediately deployed and advanced up a contractor’s ladder already in place on the Charlie / Delta side. This provided the most direct and immediate access to the fire area of origin. (A fire department ladder was later thrown into place next to this ladder, supplementing access and improving the means of egress, should there be an unexpected change in fire conditions.)

Upon entering the fire room, the crew was met with a significant heat, and a near zero visibility smoke condition. A quick assessment revealed most of the fire in this room was already out. This was thanks to the reaction of multiple contractors, responding to the crisis. They had expended multiple fire extinguishers in an attempt gain control of the situation. They exercised outstanding judgement in closing the hall door behind them as they retreated to the outside. This had the always desired effect of limiting extensive heat damage on the second floor. Their actions certainly kept an already bad situation from getting worse, causing a catastrophic escalation in the magnitude of the fire. Those contractors that took the initiative to become impromptu firefighters are to be commended, and we thank and congratulate them for their efforts.

As smoke and heat was evacuated, the crew began the always critical step of “Checking For Extension”. Extension is the term we use to describe when fire has moved beyond the immediate area and point of origin. They quickly discovered that fire had extended vertically, up into the attic, and was quickly taking hold. They took aggressive action to push the 1-3/4” hose line up the access ladder into the attic, where they were met with a challenging heat condition. Persevering, the crew got an excellent “knock down”, preventing the fire from running horizontally across the entire attic, threatening the integrity of the roof.

An investigation of the cause revealed a propane installer, not directly associated with any local propane suppliers, was working on a new install propane fireplace. This contractor encountered a problem, which lead to the build up of propane vapor in the void space around the fireplace, and in the adjacent wall. This un-burned vapor subsequently ignited with catastrophic effect. The interior wall blew out with tremendous force, accompanied by a large fire ball. Luckily, the installer was mostly unharmed, only sustaining a minor flash burn to the face. (Think sunburn!) He refused treatment at the scene.

Crews remained on scene for the better part of four (4) hours chasing hot spots. The home sustained severe fire, heat, smoke, and water damage. The General Contractor had no estimate on the dollar loss that we are willing to publicly share, although it is extremely high, fitting into the category of High Loss. We will have to await the report of the insurance company adjuster.

Other then the civilian installer, who refused treatment, one firefighter was evaluated by EMS for a minor heat related illness. This firefighter was not transported. He remained at the scene, where he rested and rehydrated, with no lasting effects.

The Maryland State Fire Marshals Office was notified. After a telephone conversation with the Incident Commander, as the cause was known, it was determined a fire marshal response would not be necessary.

Note: An unnamed contractor shot pre-arrival video of this incident and shared it with us. Unfortunately, we do not have his information so that we can provide deserved attribution.

Companies & Organizations:

Chestertown VFC

Kennedyville VFC

Betterton VFC

Rock Hall VFC

Galena VFC

Church Hill VFC

Clayton VFC (Kent County, Delaware)

Sudlersville VFC

Kent & Queens Rescue Squad

Kent County EMS

Kent County Sheriffs Office