KENTLANDS, Md. (WUSA9) – An early morning fire that ripped through the roof of a Kentlands home also sent five firefighters to a local hospital.
Pete Piringer, spokesman for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, says fire crews were called to 113 Leekes Lot Way for a report of a fire in a chimney around 1:00 a.m. Once on scene firefighters found heavy flames showing from the second story of the two-story home.
Firefighters quickly called for a second alarm, bringing approximately 100 crews to the scene. Piringer says they attacked the fire aggressively, which had spread across a wood-shingled roof.
While crews worked to put out the flames, the roof partially collpased on five firefighters, and a Mayday call was sounded. The men were trapped temporarily, but were able to escape the debris. All were taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution. All five have since been treated and released.
The lone occupant escaped the blaze unharmed before firefighters arrived.
According to Piringer, the man told investigators he built a fire during the night, which apparently spread to the chimney and roof. The blaze caused significant damage, which has been estimated at approximately $800,000.
FRM/FFN Related:
Attack Considerations for Buildings with Wood Shingle Roofs (Jakubowski)
Attic Fires from the Inside Up (Frassetto)
Ladder Ops for Attic Fires (Frassetto)
Tactics for Battling Attic Fires (Jakubowski)
Is Your Department Ready for a Rapid Intervention Event? (Schmidt)
Realistic Expectations for the Rapid Intervention Team (Tobia)
Responding to a Firefighter Emergency on the Fireground (Kirby and Lakamp)
