Mayday Goes Out During Attic Flashover

By Becky Robinette Wright

The tone sounded at 1345 hours, on Nov 27,2006 for 1609 Wilmington Avenue. The structure was a hundred year old, two story wood cape, it had metal tabs with plaster walls, a large piece of tin along the roof edge and a heavy slate roof.

First arriving crews discovered smoke showing from the roof of the house.

Initial apparatus responding: Quints 14, 15, 5, Engine 10, Rescue 2 and Battalion 2. The call was upgraded and dispatched: Quint 18, Engine 6 and Rescue 1. A second alarm was issued and Quints 1 and 12, along with Rescue 3 joined in the battle.

Lines were stretched with the initial attack lines 1 ¾ inch, supply line was 4-inch.

Contractors were removing old paint in the attic by a method of actually burning the paint off. Once fire erupted, it spread quickly. The painters attempted to extinguish the flames but the fire grew quickly out of control. Richmond Fire Department was summoned.

“It was bad conditions from the beginning, “said Lt. Keith Vida of Richmond Fire and Emergency Services. “An aggressive interior fire attack was launched, but the conditions were becoming worse by the minute. Fire was blowing out of the shingles and eaves. The Chief said enough and issued an evacuation order. The firefighters were evacuating the building as ordered, two firefighters were left, then the entire attic flashed over, a may day went out and the two firefighters caught in the flashover went through a hole in the floor to escape. The hole dropped them down onto the porch. Their quick thinking saved their lives.”

The slate roof collapsed.

The two firefighters and the contractor received injuries; one firefighter was transported for hypertension. The other firefighter and the contractor were treated at the scene. The transported firefighter was kept for several hours then released.

Fire was marked under control at 1540 hours.

Lt Keith Vida said Richmond Fire has been trying to fight this paint removal method for quite awhile, but for the time being as long as the contractor has the proper permits, it’s legal. Numerous home fires have been ignited by this type of work. Richmond Fire Department has even been to court trying to get this type of paint removal banned, their efforts to date have not been successful.