House Fire in Chesterfield County injuries two Firefighters

By Lt. Steven Traylor
Tactical Safety Officer
A Shift

On October 31,2006, Chesterfield Fire and EMS was dispatched to a report of a structure fire on Ecoff Ave. Engines 1,14,17, Truck 14 Battalion 2 and Tactical Safety Officer was dispatched to the 0055 hours fire. On arrival Engine 1 reporting fire showing from a window on the Delta side of the single story house. Engine 1 stretched a 1 3/4-hand line to the front door. After The RIT team was in place, three firefighters of Engine 1 and two firefighters from Truck 14 entered the house advancing the hand line through the living room and into a bedroom that had fire in it. The crew didn’t know that the bedroom door that was on fire was blocked by the open front door. After extinguishing the fire in the second bedroom and connecting bathroom between both bedrooms, began venting with the hose line out the bedroom window. Unknowing to the crew venting the window caused the fire to rapidly consumed the living room behind the crew. Calling the crew from outside to the rapid moving fire, the crew had to fight there way out of the structure. One firefighter from Truck 14 received first and second-degree burns on his right shoulder and one firefighter from Engine 1 received first and second-degree burns on both shoulders.

Both firefighters were transported to the hospital for treatment and released to come back to work. Both are doing Ok and returned to work the next shift.

A three old child playing with matches caused the fire. The family was displaced and received help from the Red Cross.