| On the evening of Friday September 21, 2012, Units from Sykesville and surrounding Mutual Aid Departments were alerted for a building fire with people trapped at Fairhaven Nursing Facility located in Sykesville. Engine 123 responded shortly after the dispatch and they were advised by the Communication Center that one of the rooms in the Upland House was on fire and that there was heavy smoke in the hallways with people trapped.
Engine 123 arrived on the scene and found no smoke or fire from the exterior. The officer and crew made entry into the first floor hallway with a hand line and found smoke throughout the first floor. Residents on the first floor where evacuated and the upper floors the patient's were protected in place. The crew from Engine 123 located and found the room that was on fire and further investigation found that a mattress was on fire in the room and a sprinkler head had been activated due to the fire. The fire was held in place due to the sprinkler system being activated until the fire department arrived.
Towers 12 and other crews arrived and begin checking for extension and started the process of ventilating the large building. The State Fire Marshal was called to investigate the cause of the fire.
The activation of sprinkler system was tremendous help in avoiding a potentially bad situation. |
