Cumberland County, Va. Structure Fire Jan. 20, 2025

[BFD151]

The Cumberland FD responded to 140 Sports lake Rd. For a 1 and 1/2 frame residence well involved. The adult and two small children were alerted to the fire by their dog and ran out of the house to a neighbor to call 911. The call was dispatched at 0222.47 hours. Engine 24 with a crew of four arrived on scene at 0237.51 hours. Attempting to do a 360, fire heavily involved the "C" side as well as the "B" side and 2 Propane tanks were venting fire as well as down live power lines. A crew of 3 took an 1 and 3/4 attack line in through the front door and conducted a primary search as well as attacking the fire in heavy smoke and heat conditions. As other members arrived by car a handline was placed on the venting propane. At 0251.10 command ordered the interior crew out of the building as the fire intensified and their water supply was getting low. I responded with 2nd due Randolph District FD Engine 42 (1500 gallons of water) and we arrived on scene at 0259.16 after Cumberland FD had used up their 4500 gallons of water. Assistance was requested from Cartersville FD and out of county Dillwyn FD for tankers. Members of Cumberland FD continued to fight this fire and 2 members were just 6 feet inside the living room when a large section of the wanes coated roof / ceiling structure came down on these 2 Cumberland FD members trapping them in a lean-to collapse as the front door saved them from a pancake collapse. Several firefighters were just outside the front door and quickly pulled the trapped firefighters to safety. After that it was a surround and drown from the exterior in extremely cold conditions, The Randolph District FD responded with 2 engines and our 3000 gallon tanker with all of them making multiple trips to a water source about 10 miles away. Randolph district FD went in service at 0730.01 hours.