Fast Moving Fire Destroys Home on Bennett Branch Rd.
By Captain Jeff Lowman
December 13, 2008
On Saturday December 6, at 1249 hours (12:49 pm), Box Alarm 1-2 was sounded for a house on fire in the 7900 block of Bennett Branch Rd. First arriving E-12 advised of a two story single family dwelling with heavy smoke showing and requested the RIT dispatch, and a tanker task force. Howard E-41 and ET-14 arrived soon after and established the initial water supply. As crews were attempting to make an interior attack they encountered heavy fire to the rear of the house and with conditions rapidly deteriorating crews were forced to evacuate the house.
A defensive operation was set in place using exterior hand lines and the ladder pipe off of Frederick County Truck 4-2. Command also requested a second tanker task force to supplement the water supply efforts. There were no injuries to firefighters or civilians. The house was extensively damaged.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the office of the State Fire Marshal. All units were clear at 1800 hours (6:00 pm).
