MEDIA CONTACT: Mark E. Brady, Chief Spokesperson, 240-508-7930
mebrady@co.pg.md.us Twitter: @PGFDPIO
A Prince George’s County Firefighter was injured this
morning after falling through a hole in the floor while fighting a fire in
Mitchellville. At about 6:30 am, Thursday,
March 13, 2014, firefighters from the St. Josephs Fire/EMS Station along with 6
additional nearby stations and incident commanders were alerted to a building
fire on the grounds of the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning
Commission property in the 2900 block of Enterprise Road. This sprawling complex is occupied by the
Enterprise Golf Course, Newton White Mansion and the Maryland Park Police
Mounted Unit.
Firefighters from St. Joes were the first to arrive and
encountered a 1 ½ story building used as a storage facility and locker room for
the Police Mounted Unit Officers with fire and smoke showing from the roof area. With the amount of fire and smoke coming from
the relatively small structure, the engine officer, Fire Fighter/Medic Lieutenant
Brian M. Gibson, instructed his crew to advance a hand line and start knocking
the fire down from the safety of the
exterior.
With the majority of the fire visible from the exterior
knocked down, Fire Lt. Gibson requested permission to advance into the interior
and asses conditions. Having received an
acknowledgement from the incident commander, Lt Gibson proceeded inside by way
of the front door. Only seconds after receiving
an acknowledgement to proceed to the interior and just feet inside the front
door Gibson fell through a hole created by the fire and fell into the basement.
In a controlled and calm voice, Gibson used his portable
radio to announce a MAYDAY and provided the incident commander of his location,
his unit number, name, air supply and resource’s needed. Gibson, remaining calm throughout the entire
ordeal, asked for a rope to be dropped down to the basement and he repeated his
location. Fellow firefighters immediately
responded to his call for help.
There was no exterior door or access to the basement from
the outside and finding a stairwell was not an immediate option. A ground ladder off one of the engines was
used to drop down the same hole he fell through which provided Gibson a quick
means of egress from the basement.
Additional firefighters had arrived and continued an exterior
extinguishment of the fire while the rescue was in progress.
Within an anxious few minutes Fire Lt. Gibson was rescued
and being tended to by paramedics. Complaining of back pain he was transported to
Prince George’s Trauma Center.
The fire was extinguished by the 30 firefighters on the scene
within 45 minutes from the exterior of the structure. Hand lines and a master stream device from an
extended tower ladder completed the extinguishment.
Fire Investigators are still working on the exact cause of
the fire, however, they seemed to be focused on a propane heater in the
basement. The area of origin is where
the heater was hung from the ceiling in the basement. It appears the direct flame impingement from
the heater on a metal grate and basement celling created the hole in which
Gibson fell through. The fire extended
through the first floor, and up into the attic area. The preliminary cause is listed as accidental;
however, the investigation remains open. Fire loss is estimated at $25,000.
At the Trauma Center, Fire Lieutenant Gibson was found to
have suffered a compression fracture in the T-7 thoracic vertebra of his back. He is currently resting comfortably at the
hospital and is surrounded by family, co-workers, personnel from St. Joes
Fire/EMS Station, friends and members of IAFF Local 1619.
Fire Fighter/Medic Lieutenant Brian M. Gibson is 39 years-of-age
and has been a member of the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department for nearly 14 years.
All images courtesy of Mark E. Brady, PGFD PIO
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