NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 73

of life. Fire suppression crews entering
from the front subsequently found the
female in a doorway between a front
living area in the kitchen.
After knocking down most of the fire
on the first floor, crews pulled handlines to the second floor and were able
to extinguish fire there with relative
ease, but had initial difficulty gaining
access to the attic area, where heavy
fire was quickly spreading. Crews were
able to gain access and knock down the
fire after pulling second floor ceilings,
with assistance from exterior crews,
who opened up multiple areas at the
front of the residence.
Initial overhaul efforts were kept to a
minimum until the coroner arrived to
take disposition of the occupants.
Fire department reports indicated
that initial water supply from hydrants
was delayed because the nearest fire
hydrant was frozen, but crews were
able to use engine water and tankers
without any delay in fire attack.

Investigators determined that the
fire began when a propane space heater
ignited plywood wall covering on the
first floor of the residence. Reports
indicated that the house was not
equipped with smoke alarms.
The house was a wood-frame construction, with a ground floor area of
500 square feet (46 square meters).
The house, valued at $95,000, and
its contents, valued at $20,000, were a
total loss.

TEXAS
House explosion kills one,
injures four
A 12-year-old girl was killed in an early-morning house explosion believed to
be caused by a gas leak, and four other
family members were injured but survived the blast.
Firefighters were dispatched at 6:30
a.m. by a report of a structure fire. On
arrival, they found a single-family home
with major structural damage, but no

fire. Firefighters extracted five occupants from the remains of the home.
Reports indicated that the 12-yearold girl was found unresponsive and
received CPR at the scene before being
rushed to the hospital, where she was
pronounced dead. The remaining occupants were transported to the hospital
for treatment of blunt force and burn
injuries.
Fire department investigators were
advised by the incident commander
that the structure was unsafe for entry.
The investigators reported that the
majority of the damage was located at
a front corner of the structure, where a
brick exterior had been blown off and
an adjoining wall blown out. The roof
on the same side was also damaged and
had collapsed. Portions of wall had
also been blown out on the opposite
side of the house.
The father told investigators that
family members were sleeping at the
time of the blast and found themselves

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NFPA Journal - January/February 2020

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