NFPA Journal - November/December 2020 - 66

Firewatch
Firefighters were dispatched to the
scene at 2:30 p.m. following a neighbor's phone call to 911. Arriving crews
from an engine company reported that
pressurized grey smoke was pushing
through the eaves of a single-story
home, with smoke and flames showing
in the tops of open windows and doors.
Bystanders confirmed that an occupant was known to be trapped inside,
and crews initiated a fire attack and
entered the structure to locate the
occupant. After locating a deceased dog
near the doorway, crews knocked back
the fire as they moved inside while
continuing their search. Crews located
the victim in the living room and determined that he was already deceased.
After removing the victim, it took
firefighters approximately an hour to
bring the fire under control, according
to news reports. Reports indicated
that the victim relied on a wheelchair
and that his ability to evacuate was
impeded by excessive furniture.
Investigators were unable to determine if the house was equipped with
automatic detection equipment.
The house was a single-story, wood
frame structure and occupied a ground
floor area of 1,200 square feet (111
square meters).
The house, valued at $125,000, was a
total loss, as were its contents, valued
at $20,000.

MASSACHUSETTS
Two occupants rescued after
cigarette ignites kitchen fire
Firefighters rescued two residents who
were trapped in a third-floor apartment
amid heavy smoke conditions before
extinguishing a fire in the unit's kitchen
area.
The apartment's occupants called
911 after smoke detectors sounded at
8:30 a.m.
Crews arrived to find light smoke
showing from a rear corner of a
three-story, multi-unit residence. As
firefighters exited their vehicles, they
reported that a female occupant opened
a front window and screamed for help.
Reports indicated that the occupant
was enveloped in heavy smoke as it
pushed out of the window.

Crews requested a second alarm
and attempted to position an aerial
ladder to evacuate the occupant. Overhanging tree limbs prevented access
by the aerial ladder, so a ladder crew
positioned a 24-foot ladder against the
house and gained entry to the apartment through the window. Inside, they
assisted the occupant onto the ladder,
which she was able to descend under
her own power.
As the rescue took place, crews from
an engine company pulled a hand line
to the third floor, where they encountered a second occupant who was
conscious and able to evacuate without
assistance. Crews searched for other
occupants until they received word
that no one else remained inside. The
occupants were transported by ambulance to a local hospital, where they
received treatment for smoke inhalation injuries.
Inside the structure, crews extinguished the seat of the fire, which was
found in the kitchen, then searched for
possible extension in the attic and the
remainder of the building. An animal
control officer was summoned to take
possession of numerous pets removed
from the structure, which a local building commissioner determined was
temporarily unsafe for occupation.
News reports indicated that the two
victims were expected to completely
recover.
According to investigators, the fire
began when a cigarette was deposited in a recycling bin stored under
a countertop in the kitchen, which
started a smoldering fire in the bin
that ignited wood paneling on the
wall and then spread below the countertop. The fire was contained to the
area of origin after the fire melted the
solder of a hot water pipe and caused
it to burst.
The residence was equipped with
battery-operated smoke detectors
located in the kitchen, living room, and
bedroom areas. The detectors operated
and successfully alerted the occupants,
who were asleep at the time of the
alarm.
The apartment was in a three-story,
balloon-frame wood structure with a

ground floor area of 1,800 square feet
(167 square meters).
The fire caused $50,000 in damage
to the structure, valued at $339,000, as
well as $20,000 in damage to its contents, valued at $150,000.

PENNSYLVANIA
Two die attempting to fight
apartment fire
An early morning fire at an apartment
complex claimed the lives of two residents who investigators believe tried to
fight the fire themselves before being
overcome by smoke and flames.
The fire department was dispatched
to the fire at 2 a.m. following a 911 call
from another occupant in the complex,
a six-story structure consisting of 74
units.
Arriving firefighters found that a fire
that originated in the living room of
a third-floor unit had been starved of
oxygen and was essentially out. Crews
located a male occupant in a bedroom
and a female occupant in a bathroom
and transported them outside. Both
occupants had burn injuries and were
unconscious.
Firefighters also found that the
kitchen sink was running at the time
they entered the apartment.
The male was transported to a local
hospital, where he was pronounced
dead shortly after arrival, according
to news reports. The reports indicated
that the female was pronounced dead
at the scene after being evacuated from
the building.
Firefighters used less than 50 gallons
of water to extinguish the fire.
Investigators determined that the fire
began when an electrical fault ignited
wood furnishings in the living room.
The fault was traced to an entertainment center, but no additional details
were available.
Investigators indicated that hardwired smoke alarms in the building's
common areas did not activate until
approximately 15 minutes after the activation of a battery-operated unit inside
the victims' apartment. They noted that
smoke had to escape the apartment
through the seal of the apartment
door and travel down a hallway to the

66 | NFPA JOURNAL * N O V E R M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0

Firewatch NOV DEC 2020 V5.indd 66

10/29/20 6:59 PM



NFPA Journal - November/December 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - November/December 2020

Contents
NFPA Journal - November/December 2020 - Cover1
NFPA Journal - November/December 2020 - Cover2
NFPA Journal - November/December 2020 - 1
NFPA Journal - November/December 2020 - 2
NFPA Journal - November/December 2020 - 3
NFPA Journal - November/December 2020 - Contents
NFPA Journal - November/December 2020 - 5
NFPA Journal - November/December 2020 - 6
NFPA Journal - November/December 2020 - 7
NFPA Journal - November/December 2020 - 8
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