MEDIA CONTACT: Mark E. Brady, Chief Spokesperson, 240-508-7930
MEBrady@co.pg.md.us @PGFDPIO
A Riverdale mother and daughter have many reasons to be
thankful today. Thankful for a working
smoke alarm and firefighters that arrived quickly, rushed into their burning
home and rescued the unconscious critically injured mother. Just after 4:30 am, November 23, a fire
appears to have started in the kitchen of their 1 ½ -story, Cape Cod style, single-family
home in the 6300 block of Sheridan Street.
A working smoke alarm alerted the occupants and
they started to make their way outside to safety. The mother uses a wheelchair and was unable
to successfully make her way out of a hospital bed in the burning home even with her daughter’s
assistance. The elder female called 911
and quickly explained the situation while her daughter ran to a neighbor’s
house for help. Neighbors were awakened
to find fire coming from the rear of their neighbor’s house made additional 911
calls.
A Public Safety Communication 911 call taker talking to the
trapped woman detailed information about the location of the occupant to dispatchers
by way of the computer aided dispatch system.
Dispatchers provided the updates by way of the radio to responding
firefighters. Just before firefighters arrived
the 911-call taker could only hear silence as the female went unconscious. The next sound she heard over the open 911-phone
line was that of firefighters radios.
Within minutes after being dispatched an unconscious female
had been located and removed to the homes exterior by firefighters. Awaiting medics treated the critically
injured patient and transported her to an area Burn Unit. The daughter sustained minor injuries and
transported to a local hospital. Good
news from the Burn Unit was that the female’s condition had improved from
Critical to Serious and Stable and is expected to survive her injuries.
The fire consumed the rear portion of the home with high
heat and thick smoke throughout the structure.
The fire was extinguished within 12 minutes of arrival.
While the area of origin appears to be the first floor
kitchen the official cause of the fire remains under investigation. Fire loss is estimated at $50,000.
Firefighters returned to the Riverdale neighborhood this
afternoon armed with fire safety information and boxes of new 10-year smoke
alarms. Firefighters went door-to-door
answering neighbor’s questions about the fire and checking smoke alarms to
ensure they were working. If a home was
found without a working smoke alarm a new alarm was installed and tested before
firefighters left the house.
Smoke alarms should be tested on the first day of every
month and replaced after 10 years of use.
Only 10-year smoke alarms should be used to replace older alarms. Any Prince George’s County resident needing a
new alarm can call 311 and ask about our smoke alarm program.
A home escape plan that identifies 2 ways out of every room
in your house with a designated meeting place outside should also be in place
and practiced at least twice a year.
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| The rear portion of the house, where the kitchen is located, sustained the majority of the fire damge |
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| Firefighters went door-to-door checking for working smoke alarms in neighborhood where the fire occurred today. |
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| Firefighters went door-to-door checking for working smoke alarms in neighborhood where the fire occurred today. |
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| Firefighters went door-to-door checking for working smoke alarms in neighborhood where the fire occurred today. |
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