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Families Displaced Following
Apartment Fire
(11/9/2003)
Area firefighters were put to the
test late Saturday evening and into
early Sunday morning said chief
Frank Davis of Emmitsburg's Vigilant
Hose Company (VHC). The rapidly
spreading fire at 280 South Seton
Avenue required the assistance of a
number of other local fire and
ambulance companies, too.
Initial reports indicated that
people might be trapped in the 2-1/2
story wood-framed structure, a
nearly century old residential
building, that had been converted
into apartments years ago.
Fortunately, all 7 residents and
their pets escaped with only one
individual requiring hospital
treatment for possible airway burns.
Just after 11:00 p.m., the Frederick
County Department of Emergency
Communications received and
immediately dispatched emergency
services units to a working incident
where fire was already shooting out
3 windows on the second floor of the
occupied building. Even before fire
crews could advance fire hoses to
the front door the fire was already
extending into the attic and by the
time crews had begun to spray water
on the fire it was leaping from the
roof.
The fire, which could be seen from
quite a distance, generated heavy
smoke conditions throughout the
south end of town drawing many
spectators. The patient transported,
Clifford Mills, was treated and
released from Gettysburg Hospital's
Emergency Department just after 3:00
a.m. Sunday morning.
Altogether, it took firefighters
3-hours to complete the firefighting
effort, which included securing the
scene in the chilly nighttime
temperatures. Displaced and assisted
by the Red Cross and neighbors were
Diane Elliott and Clifford Mills
plus 2 children of the most heavily
damaged apartment, and Kenneth and
Patricia Baker plus their son Josh
from the other affected apartment.
The building owner, Sam Kugler, who
lives out of the area, was notified
of the fire while it was still in
progress.
Deputy Maryland State Fire Marshal,
Ed Ernst, determined that the fire
started in wiring behind an electric
baseboard heater, which was located
at the end of a severely overloaded
electrical circuit. Initial loss
estimates were $45,000 to the
structure and $5,000 to the
contents. Actual losses could be
more which can better be determined
in the daylight. A number of other
area fire companies' back-filled
empty stations that had been
summoned to the call.
Assisting fire and emergency medical
services personnel from Emmitsburg
fire (VHC) and ambulance companies
were Greenmount, Thurmont,
Fairfield, Rocky Ridge, Harney,
Taneytown, Gettysburg, Barlow,
Gettysburg Hospital's Medic 28,
Frederick City / Citizens Truck Air
Unit 4, Allegheny Power, the
Frederick County Red Cross, and the
Maryland State Fire Marshal's
Office.
As all apparatus and equipment were
being readied for service and all
necessary reports were being
completed back at the station, chief
Davis said of the event, "I was
very proud of how everything went
and how well everyone worked
together. We are just so fortunate
to have the terrific assistance from
others during tragic events like
this one." Chief Davis went on
to say that, "VHC President Tim
Clarke has already authorized a
$1,000 check for each family to be
delivered by mid-day Sunday."
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