At about 11:30 AM, Friday, November 21, 2008, Prince George’s County Firefighters were alerted to a house fire in the Riverdale Heights area.  Fire/EMS units arrived at 6318 57th Avenue and found a 1-story single family home with light smoke showing from the front of the house. 

The engine from Riverdale Heights arrived first and advanced a hoseline to the front door and paused to don their personal protective equipment (PPE) and self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).  The house was vacant and a small fire could be seen in the front living room.  The ladder truck from Riverdale Fire/EMS Station #807 was the second to arrive, almost at the same time as Riverdale Heights.  The crew from Truck 807 donned their PPE and SCBA and entered the structure to begin ventilation by removing windows.  As the engine crew from Riverdale Heights prepared to enter the structure and extinguish the fire their hoseline sustained damage from glass or debris and was cut; rendering it useless.  As additional arriving firefighters stretched another hoseline into position, a flashover occurred.  A flashover occurs when the super heated gases and combustible materials simultaneously ignite – basically burning anything in the fires path. 

The flashover occurred with the crew from Truck 807 inside.  The crew quickly exited the structure, some fireifghters required assistance from other firefighters.  The fire was then extinguished in about 10 minutes.  Two firefighters sustained burn injuries and were transported to a Burn Unit.
 
Fire Fighter Anthony “Tony” Blazek, 27 years-of-age, a 3-year volunteer member of the Riverdale Fire/EMS Station sustained 2nd and 3rd degree burns about his face, neck and back.  He has been admitted to the Burn Unit at the Washington Hospital Center.  His burn injuries are serious, however, not life-threatening. 

A second firefighter, Cory Johnston, 23 years-of-age, 6-year volunteer member of the Riverdale Fire/EMS Station sustained minor burn injuries and was treated and released from the Burn Unit.

Fire Investigators believe the fire started in a couch and was caused by vagrants improperly discarded cigarette.  Fire loss is estimated at $25,000.

Four of the attached images are taken by Probationary Volunteer Member Tony George of Riverdale Heights Fire/EMS Station 813.  He was on the first arriving engine and snapped these in sequence.  NOTE: camera times were corrected on 11-21-08 at 11:30 PM.  There is a 2-minute time frame between the first and fourth image.

.05 seconds (108-6286) – Firefighters pause to don PPE and SCBA.  Light smoke can be seen around the front door.  

.11 seconds (108-6287) – A small fire can be seen through the sliding doors as firefighters continue to don PPE and SCBA. Some firefighters make entry into the structure.

.53 seconds (108-6288) – Additional Firefighters make entry into structure – fire grows in intensity and smoke becomes heavier.

02 minutes and :05 seconds (108-6289) – A flashover occurs with firefighters still inside.  Additional firefighters have arrived and are preparing to go into operations.

The final pictures were taken by Mark E. Brady and show the damaged PPE of Fire Fighter Blazek.