08/26/2011 – Structure Fire – “B” Shift

Incident # 11-04664 – A fire, which originated in the bathroom, has displaced a Francis Street family Friday evening 26-August. 9-1-1 Operators were notified of the fire in the singlewide mobile at 22:36. Engine 19 arrived minutes later to find moderate smoke conditions with flames visible from the rear door and window. Firefighters deployed one 1-3/4 handline to the back of the residence, forced open the door and made a quick knockdown on the fire. Firefighters then entered the building and extinguished the reminder of the fire, containing it to the bathroom and rear bedroom. The remainder of the home suffered smoke and heat damage. Many personal items were salvageable. A second crew deployed another 1-3/4 handline and forced the front door, however the second line was not needed. A PPV fan was used to ventilate the structure.

Investigators determined the fire originated in the bathroom destroying the small room and burned through the paneling walls on each side. The fire heavily damaged the adjacent bedroom at the rear of the mobile home. Firefighters stopped the spread of the fire as it moved toward the front of the building. The residents had been outside in the yard, when they smelled smoke and discovered the fire. No one was inside the structure when the fire started. The family is staying with neighbors and the Charleston Chapter of the American Red Cross was notified so they could assist the family.

Engine 19, Engine 24, Tender 1, Tender 9, Tender 19, Tender 26, Medic 19, Battalion 1 and Car 12 responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as Incident Commander.