The HVFD's engine and truck company operated a major fire in Bladensburg Wednesday, here's the official news release:

A Riverdale neighborhood convenience and grocery store has been declared a total loss after a late morning fire. At about 11:15 AM, Wednesday, March 25, 2009, Firefighters and Paramedics from the Riverdale/Bladensburg area were dispatched to a 911 report of smoke coming from the roof of LA Consentida Grocery Store at 5401 Kenilworth Avenue in Riverdale. The store was open, operating and occupied.

Truck 1 On Scene Prepping for Action -- Photo Courtesy Billy McNeel PGFD Citizens Services Unit

Firefighters arrived and encountered a 1-story, approximately 100’ X 50’, stand-alone commercial structure with heavy smoke issuing from the roof. Firefighters evacuated all employees and patrons of the store and advanced handlines into the structure and started to attack the fire in the ceiling and roof structure. The fire proved to be a challenge and difficult to access as two layers of suspended ceiling and three layers of roof structure provided large void spaces for the fire to extend horizontally and eventually burning through the roof.

Approximately 15 minutes into the fire-fight, amid concerns for Firefighter safety, all personnel were ordered withdrawn from the interior of the building. Master stream, large diameter hoselines, were set up on the exterior of the building and on aerial ladders to provide large volumes of water to extinguish the fire.

Engine Company 9 Deck Gunning -- Photo Courtesy Billy McNeel PGFD Citizens Services Unit

A 2nd alarm was sounded bringing 65 Firefighter/Medics to the scene. The fire was controlled and extinguished in about an hour.

No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported, however, several firefighters were treated in a rehab area established by paramedics after experiencing signs and symptoms of exhaustion.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation and preliminary fire loss is estimated at $500,000.

Truck 1 Ladder Pipe Ops - PGFD Photo/Mark Brady

At 1103 hours Engine 11 was alerted to 2708 Kirkwood Pl. for the building fire. Engine 11 arrived with nothing showing with the building evacuated. As the Engine crew stretched the line, heavy smoke was found in the stairwell. Crews found a small kitchen fire on the first floor and made quick work of the fire. Truck 34 opened up and performed searches. Engine 11 cleared at 1157 hours.

At 0833 hours Truck 1 was dispatched to 3707 36th St in Co. 55’s first due for the house fire. Battalion Chief 4 arrived with smoke showing while Engine 94 was dropping a line. Truck 1 arrived, and made its way to the basement to find a fire in crawl space advancing quickly to the floors above.

The interior crew did the primary and secondary searches in the basement and on the first floor. Crews found a room off on side Bravo on Division 1 extending to the second floor. Engine 94 made quick work of the fire and searches came up negative. Units remained on scene to overhaul and to assist with the investigation. Truck 1 cleared at 1050 hours.

The HVFD regrets to announce the passing of Naomi DiVincenzo, wife of Charles DiVincenzo, who served as chief of the Hyattsville VFD and City of Hyattsville from 1961 to 1967. She was 90, just two weeks shy of her 91st birthday.

Ms. DiVincenzo was also the grandmother of Johnny Beck, a Captain with the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department. His uncle and father were also members of the HVFD in the 1960's. Ms. DiVincenzo was survived by a total of 12 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, March 15th at GASCH'S FUNERAL HOME, P.A., 4739 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville, MD from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 pm. Service will be held on Monday, March 16 at 10:00 am at Gasch's Funeral Home. Interment at Ft. Lincoln Cemetery, Brentwood, MD. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in Naomi's name to Sacred Heart Nursing Home, 5805 Queens Chapel Road, Hyattsville, MD.

The family requested the viewing and services for friends and family only.

Around 0815 hours, Truck 1 had just cleared a pedestrian struck in Company 34's area when the box was struck for an apartment fire at 5901 Knollbrook Drive. PSC dispatched Engine Company 1 on the box but with the truck on the air, Truck 1 responded to the fire.

With 44's engine operating on a house fire in Montgomery County, PA44 arrived on scene of the fire and requested the second alarm with smoke pushing from the eaves of the adjacent apartment building. Truck 1 with 5 personnel arrived as the first suppression unit and went to work securing utilities, laddering the building and performing primary searches.

The outside truck crew cut two holes in the roof and the interior crew opened ceilings and walls for the engine crews as the fire had extended from the kitchen into the open cockloft. The fire was contained and knocked in about 15 minutes. All searches proved negative and Truck 1 remained on scene with investigators until 2230 hours.

Around 1700 hours, Truck 1 was dispatched as 2nd due truck to a report of a house fire in the area of Beacon Pl and 67th Av (Co13's area). Units arrived on scene @ 5805 67th Ave with fire showing from the rear. Truck 1 split crews providing ground ladders, roof operations and primary searches of the 2nd floor.

While on the 2nd floor a water supply problem was encountered causing the 2nd floor to become engulfed in flames which resulted in 2 F/F exiting via the stairs and 2 F/F exiting via a 2nd story window to the roof. One of our F/F received minor burns to his shoulders and back, he was taken to MedStar where he was treated and released.

Truck 1 also assisted Fire Investigations and completed overhaul returning to service around 2030 hours. Chief 7 was the incident commander and Chief 1A was assigned the Safety Sector.

Around 1545 hours, Engine 12 was dispatched for a brush fire in the area of 7000 Adelphi Rd (Northwestern HS). The engine arrived and found a large brush fire (1/2 acre) between the HS and 7100blk Calverton Dr. and requested an additional engine come in off of Dean Dr. Chief 1A established command and requested Mini Pumper 55 and a special service (TK12) to assist. After about an hour of hard work including downing several large trees, units cleared around 1715 hours.

At 0200 hours, Truck 1 and Engine 12 responded to 908 Chillum Rd and arrived on scene with smoke showing. Engine 12 picked up 44's line and took a line to side Charlie and entered the basement. Truck 1 positioned on side Alpha and the crew searched, threw ladders and vented the roof. Chief 1A was on scene and assisted with Command. The case of the fire was an electric malfunction displacing 3 adults and 5 children with no injuries.

Members of the HVFD got some first looks at the construction of the new Rescue Squad 1 this week at the Pierce Plan in Appleton, Wisconsin.

The new unit is a Pierce Arrow XT with a 28’ stainless steel walk-in body, Amkus Ultimate System, Hydraulic Generator and Cat Diesel engine. This unit is being purchased utilizing an Assistance to Firefighters Grant funding. Modifications to the fire station have already been completed to house the new vehicle in our rather tight quarters.

More photos will be added as they are available.

Read the story about the new rescue squad and sale of the old one here.

On this day (January 27, 1988) 21 years ago, Firefighter Al Sondej entered a burning house at 2020 Wardman Rd in Avondale as part of the crew of Truck 1 for a report of people trapped. As Al was searching, flames suddenly engulfed the room and Firefighter Sondej.

It was later determined the lone occupant had escaped the house just prior to Sondej's arrival. Sondej received burns over most of his body and was transported to the Washington Hospital Center MedStar Burn Unit with third-degree burns. He remained there until his death on March 16, 1988 from burn complications.

Remember Al and stay safe.