Just before 5:30 a.m., units from Bunker Hill and surrounding companies were dispatched for a reported house fire in the 4000 block of 37th Street, Mount Rainier. Companies arrived with a two-story house well involved with fire extending to homes on either side, including significant fire and heat damage to one of the exposures.
Truck 1, Engine 1 and Ambulance 1 responded with 14 volunteer fire & EMS personnel.
Engine 855 arrived on the scene with fire showing with extension to the home on Side Delta. Engine 1 arrived, stretching the 400-foot attack line and entered the exposure house with Truck 9 and stretched to the second floor. Truck 9 opened up to find fire in the walls along the exposure side. HVFD’s engine crew operated on the second floor of the exposure house until the majority of fire was knocked, later assisting in opening up the walls and knocking down the remaining fire.
Truck 1 arrived as second due special and threw ladders on all sides of the primary exposure house as the interior crew conducted a primary on the initial fire structure and basement/first floor of the exposure house. The driver and tillerman opened up the roof of the exposure house. The crew also assisted the engine crew opening up and hitting hot spots. Both units operated for about two hours before being released.
The crew from Ambulance 1 maintained the aid station.
The fire was brought under control in a little over an hour. A task force and additional units were requested to the scene beyond the initial alarm.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Damages were estimated at $450,000, according to the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department. The sole male occupant of the home was not present at the time of the blaze. No civilians or firefighters were injured.
First Alarm units included E855B, E801, E807, PE844, TK809, TK801, TK812, A801, BC1 & BC4.
