Fire official addresses what to do when trying to help someone trapped in fire
Julie E. GreeneThe Herald-Mail
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A woman was in critical condition Wednesday morning at Meritus Medical Center after being rescued from a mobile home fire north of Hagerstown on Tuesday evening, authorities said.
The Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire that was reported at 6:42 p.m. Tuesday at 13713 Emily Drive in the Northaven mobile home park off Pennsylvania Avenue.
Virginia Hammett, 69, was in critical condition at Meritus, said Master Deputy State Fire Marshal Oliver Alkire, spokesperson for the state fire marshal's office.
Three people lived in the mobile home, Hagerstown Deputy Fire Chief Adam Hopkins said. One wasn't home at the time of the fire, with the American Red Cross called to assist that person with shelter since the home was uninhabitable after the fire.
In addition to the woman, who had been trapped in the home until firefighters got her out, a man who lived there had gotten himself out and was flown to a hospital, Hopkins said.
Edward Mercer, 56, had been flown to MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., but he has since signed himself out of the hospital, Alkire said Wednesday morning.
A cat injured from the fire died, Hopkins said. Firefighters rescued a dog, who a neighbor took to a local animal hospital.
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Firefighters respond to mobile home fire north of Hagerstown
Hopkins said he and firefighters from Maugansville Goodwill Volunteer Fire Co. arrived about the same time to the fire in the back part of the mobile home park.
There was smoke coming from the front and rear doors. Hopkins said a group of bystanders or neighbors was behind the double-wide home. They had beaten a door open in an attempt to go inside and rescue the woman, but were unable to get inside due to the heat and smoke.
Hopkins said he pulled that door shut as much as possible to keep more air from feeding the fire. Then a Maugansville unit went inside to look for the woman who they understood was trapped in a back room. A crew from Longmeadow Volunteer Fire Co. joined in the search.
The man who had gotten out of the home on his own was found wandering around the front door with a garden hose, apparently in an attempt to put out the fire, Hopkins said.
The woman was found and the fire was under control within about 10 minutes, Hopkins said.
Under control generally means the main fire is out and firefighters are searching for hot spots.
Because the home was in the back part of the mobile home park, firefighters had to lay more hose to a hydrant along Pennsylvania Avenue, Hopkins said.
Hagerstown, Leitersburg, Halfway, Williamsport and Greencastle (Pa.) Rescue Hose firefighters also responded to the fire call, Hopkins said. Other emergency units that responded included Community Rescue Service, the Washington County Division of Emergency Services, a safety officer from the Washington County Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association, the air and rehab units, the Washington County Sheriff's Office, and Maryland State Police aviation.
The medevac landed by Resolute Tissue off Longmeadow Road, Hopkins said.
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What to do when someone is trapped inside with a fire
Hopkins said he pulled shut the door, which bystanders knocked open, as much as possible when he arrived to limit air and oxygen to the fire inside the home.
While Hopkins said he did not see fire outside the home, there was fire inside.
Speaking to the desire for civilians to try to rescue someone from a house fire, Hopkins said, "Everybody wants to do something. And then panic sets in a little, like, 'I gotta do something.' "
"I understand when you're trying to get somebody out and if they're right by the door, great," Hopkins said. But typically the smoke and heat from the fire are too intense to allow people without the proper protective gear to get inside the home.
If people trying to help someone inside open a door and realize they can't do anything, they should see if they can shut the door, Hopkins said.
"We never recommend anyone go running into smoke and fire to save someone without proper personal equipment," Hopkins said. There's a good chance the person trying to rescue the one inside could also become unconscious and need rescuing themselves, he said.
Do not try to break windows because, again, the extra air feeds the fire, he said.
"Our goal is to leave the door shut" until crews are ready to go in so as not to provide more air and oxygen to the fire, Hopkins said.
The same principle applies to the advice to leave bedroom doors closed while sleeping because that door can provide a barrier if there is a fire on the other side, he said.
