| Fire destroyed an abandoned mill along Hoods Mill Road at the Carroll-Howard county line, Friday evening, November 4.
Sykesville firefighters were dispatched at 11:01 pm to the fire, and responding units could see the glow in the sky from several miles away.
Lieutenant Robbie Ruch was the first to arrive at the scene; and reported the building to be fully engulfed in flames. Upon further inspection, the fire had already caused much of the old structure to collapse in on itself. Heavy fire was still pushing from the foundation and an adjacent concrete silo building.
As there are no fire hydrants in the area, Lt. Ruch requested a tanker task force, bringing in additional water tankers. Much of that assignment was quickly placed in service, as Lisbon Engine 4-2 was able to draft water from the Patapsco River for a water supply.
Fire crews were hampered in their efforts by live electrical wires that were down and arcing next to the building. A BGE electric crew responded to cut the electricity to the old building.
Another issue for firefighters was the CSX train tracks that run within feet of the building. Rail traffic was requested to stop as hoselines were placed across the tracks. A nearby westbound train received the word just in time and stopped just east of the scene.
Once the electric lines were secure and train traffic was stopped, aerial master streams from Ladder 12 were used to knock down the remaining fire. Once the fire was contained, the lines across the tracks were briefly broken down to allow the mile-long train to pass by. The fire was brought under control a short time later.
There were no injuries in the fire, and the cause is under investigation by the Maryland State Fire Marshal's office.
Sykesville fire officials would like to thank all the responding companies for their good work and assistance at the incident. |
