Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Arson Fire Destroys Home

On October 13, 1979 at 3:21 p.m. firefighters were sent to 1343 Mainsville Road for a house fire with reported entrapment. An arson fire destroyed an occupied mobile home with several additions built on displacing a family of six. The male occupant in a dispute with his wife went through the home destroying items and knocking things over, while doing so he knocked over the wood stove starting the blaze. He left the mobile home and was found later in the fields to the rear of the residence. A family dog perished in the blaze. Damages were estimated at $25,000. The Vigilant Hose, Cumberland Valley Hose, West End Fire and Rescue and Fayetteville fire companies battled the blaze.

2 comments:

Brad Myers said...

At times some have asked for my own stories to be told on here but most are not fit to be put up where everyone can read, this one is.

This was my first inside working fire. The alarm came in on a Saturday afternoon when no one was around. AC52 Larry Kerns was driving the 1963 Seagrave, I was riding the seat and Mike Russell who had just joined the company was alone on the tailboard. No other rigs were getting out and we could see a header and had reported entrapment. Larry told me to pack up and like always I reminded him I was a junior before donning my SCBA.

Arriving I gave Mike the sign to lay in from the plug. Mike did just that now if only Larry would have stopped at the hydrant. Mike not knowing any better noticed the hydrant and just jumped from the moving engine, he never got hurt and we had water.

I stretched a crosslay from the wagon and was about to enter the front door when DC Danny Byers came up behind me. He arrived in his own vehichle and quickly determined it was me on the pipe. I remember him saying "oh you want to fight fire do you?" "then stand up and lets go". I did stand up, opened the pipe and Danny comenced to push me right through the building. We went from one end to the other, a couple of second dgree burns to the ears and neck but the fire was darkened down and under control.

It was a great time and hard to believe it was 30 years ago. I will always remember this fire and people like Danny and Larry for teaching me and others to be a fireman and insuring I and others had the balls to do the job.

Now if I was only that age again.

Brad

Sparky said...

Yes it would be nice to go back to the day of real fire trucks, good fires, and fireman with balls. And 30 years ago sounds such a long time ago. Have a great day.