At 0058hrs the Dover Fire Department was dispatched to the 600 block of Nimitz Rd. in the City’s White Oak Farms development for a working house fire. The working fire dispatch automatically added Engine Company 54 (Little Creek) BLS EMS 63, A63 (Saint Francis EMS) and Kent County ALS. Fire Chief David Carey respond and was advised by Dover Fire Communications Dover PD was on scene with fire showing.
Chief Carey arrived to find a 2-story split level single family dwelling with heavy fire showing from the second floor on the Alpha (front) and Charlie (rear) sides. Dover PD advised all occupants were accounted for outside of the residence. Dover Squad 1 arrived as the first due Engine Company and stretched a 1.3/4” hand line into the front door for fire attack. Squad 54 arrived as the second due Engine Company and secured a water supply for Squad 1 laying a 5” line from a fire hydrant down the street. The crew of Squad 54 stretched a second 1.3/4” hand line from Squad 1 backing up the initial attack line. Dover Ladder 1 arrived as the first due Special Service. The crew threw ground ladders to the Alpha and Delta (right) sides. There were only ground level windows on the Bravo side. The crew entered the residence and preformed a primary search finding an unresponsive cat which was taken out to the waiting EMS crews, the remainder of the search proved negative. The operator put the main to the roof for vertical ventilation. The cat perished after life saving efforts were unsuccessful. Dover Ladder 2 arrived as the second due Special Service. The crew threw ladders to the Charlie side and were sent to the roof using the main of Ladder 1 to preform vertical ventilation. Engine 54 arrived as the third due Engine Company secured a second water supply and stretched a third 1.3/4” hand line to the Charlie side. Dover Engine 4 arrived as the fourth due Engine Company and was assigned the Rapid Intervention Team (RIT). The crew completed an additional 360* fire ground size up laddering additional windows on the Charlie side and stood ready of the Alpha side.
Chief Carey placed the scene under control at 0127hrs with units working till 0330hrs. The fire is being investigated by the City of Dover Fire Marshals Office .
Emergency Dial 9-1-1
