News

Working Apartment Fire - Haman Drive

Thursday, July 2, 2015

On April 26, 2012 at 1554, the Dover Fire Department was dispatched for an AFA at 130 Haman Drive, The Clearfield Apartments. The Duty Officer, Asst Chief Whitt, was in the area and responded in the Command car. While en route, dispatched began taking several calls for a possible working structure fire at that location. Command when on scene and confirmed the same and requested a second alarm for a 3-story apartment complex with heavy smoke showing from division 3. E6, arrived first on scene, established their water supply and advanced a 1-3/4” attack line up to the third floor. E4 arrived on scene and set up on the opposite side of the complex. Both Ladders arrived on scene and set up behind their respective engines. E41-1 arrived on scene and dropped a supply line for E4 and L1. E54-5 and E43-3 arrived on scene and assisted with fire ground operations. Ground ladders were thrown and both aerials were placed in service. Three 1-3/4” attack lines were placed in service. Interior crews made an aggressive stop on the fire in the apartment of origin. However, through auto-exposure, the roof had caught fire. The original roof on the structure was a flat roof, however had been upgraded to a pitched roof several years ago. Since there was no access to the void space from below, extinguishing the roof proved to be a daunting task. When the fire in the apartment had been extinguished, crews were pulled out so the master streams from the Ladders and deck guns could effectively extinguish the roof fire. The cover-up engines were brought to the scene to provide additional manpower for the mop up operation.  The fire was confined to the apartment of origin and the roof above. Several apartments did receive smoke/heat/water damage. 30 residents were displaced from the fire. All residents safely evacuated the complex when the fire alarms sounded, no firefighter injuries occurred. Crews continued with extinguishing hot spots and overhaul. The scene was placed under control. The fire is being investigated by the City of Dover FMO.

Units on Scene:

Dover Engine: E3, E4 and E6

Dover L1 and L2

Camden-Wyoming VFC: E41-1 and E41-3

Little Creek VFC: E54-5 and E54-2 (Cover-up Station 1)

Cheswold VFC: E43-3

Hartly VFC: E51-3 (Cover-up Station 2)

Frederica VFC: L49 (Ladder Cover-up Station 1)

Basic Life Support Ambulance: A-63

Advanced Life Support: KCPDS KM-5 and KM-7

Dover FMO: FM-1, FM-2 and FM-4

State FMO; FM-28

City of Dover Police

City of Dover Mayor: Carleton E. Carey, Sr.

City City of Dover Electric Dept.

Chesapeake Utilities