At approximately 03:52 hours (3:52 am) on Sunday 11/25, the MAVFC was dispatched for a commercial fire alarm at the FMH Plaza in the 1500 block of South Main Street in Mount Airy. Chief 1 and Engine 12 arrived to find no signs of any fire from the outside, but that quickly changed when heavy smoke was discovered in the hallway on the second floor during the investigative stage. A box alarm was requested to the scene while crews from Engine 12 began operations to initiate a fire attack.
Crews entered the structure and found heavy smoke in several rooms on the second floor. Personnel on the outside were able to locate an electrical fire at the main electrical panel where service entered the building. As additional units arrived on the scene, personnel checked for fire and smoke extension and completed a search of the areas affected.
The fire was contained to the electrical room until arrival of Potomac Edison power who were able to isolate and disconnect electrical power to the building. Crews continued to ventilate the structure and once completed were able to clear the scene after operating for approximately one hour. E142 from Winfield covered the Mt. Airy Station.
