April 11, 2014 – RVFD and MCFRS units were dispatched at 4:43pm for a reported house fire on Pine View La. in N. Potomac. While units were responding, Montgomery 911 communications advised they had received several calls and were sending the rapid intervention dispatch indicating a working fire with possibly an unknown number of persons still in the house. E732 arrived and reported heavy fire from the roof and rear of a large 2-story single family home and all persons out of the house. The MCFRS Duty Chief arrived shortly afterwards and assumed command. E732 was directed to first attack the fire from the rear exterior before entering the structure.
Units attacked the fire from the interior second floor and from the exterior. A fire task force was requested when it appeared at first the fire was extending to other areas of the structure. The fire was brought under control within 30 minutes but due to partial collapse of the interior ceiling, some fire in the attic could not be reached from the interior. AT703 was directed to place the tower bucket near the front side of the roof and open a hole. They then used the hose line on the bucket to extinguish the fire in the attic with assistance of units flowing water from the front yard.
The fire appeared to have started on the exterior of the house which then extended to the rear deck and up the vinyl siding on the rear of the house and into the attic and second floor. There were no reports of injuries.
Units responding: E732, E731, E733, E703, E708, AT703, T7321, RS703, A732, DOC, VDOC, B/C703, B/C705.
Rapid intervention dispatch: AT708, RS729, M731.
Task force: E753, E728, AT723, Air733, Canteen 708
