1/9/2014 – On January 9, 2014, at 0051 hours, Kent County Communications alerted Fire Box 50-1 for the apartment building fire at 207 N. Main St in Betterton. Initial reports were multiple calls of a working alarm and all parties were out of the structure. Fire Police 5-2 was first on the scene reporting a working alarm with a well involved building and one injured person who had jumped from the building with a leg injury. Suppression units arrived and started an interior attack only to quickly find that the water supply was hampered by frozen hydrants. They were forced to back out unitl a water supply could be established. EMS arrived on the scene and requested MSP Aviation for the injured person who had jumped. After a period of time, water supply was established by taking a back hoe and breaking the ice on the Chesapeake Bay. By that time, the fire had grown to be beyond control. A secondary water supply was then established utilizing a tanker shuttle and two 4,000 gallon porta-tanks with a 1/2 mile lay to the scene. A defensive attack was completed by Chestertown’s Tower 6, Rock Hall’s Truck 7, and Sudlersville’s Quint 6. Chief 5 (James Price) had Command of the two alarm fire. The building and contents were a total loss. Eight families were displaced by the fire and are being assisted by the Red Cross. Before units cleared, an excavator was brought in to tear down the remaining standing structure.
Units from all Kent County stations, and some companies from Queen Annes, Cecil, Caroline and Talbot Counties of Maryland assisted on the call. Units from New Castle and Kent Counties in Delaware also provided assistance.
Photographs by : Nevin Steffy
