Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. They often fall under the “Out of sight – Out of mind” category or the “What are the chances of me having a fire in my house?”.Our department responded to a call early this morning in regards to the posted pictures. This incident was caused by a candle left unattended overnight on the stove top. Fortunately, a working smoke detector awakened the sleeping residents and enabled them to contain the fire from spreading any further by using a fire extinguisher.This incident could have had a much more serious ending. Thankfully, the homeowners had fire safety precautions in place and were prepared to act.Prepare and protect yourself, your family, and your home for the unexpected.
Archive for Run Information
Weather keeps us busy
Our fire crews were busy today with the weather that moved through the area wires down, transformer issues, trees down, and a reported structure fire.
-Montgomery Road East of Z Street – tree down
-20000 block of Old Mansfield Road – Cable line
-18000 block of Old Mansfield Road – Power line
-West First Street near Mulberry Street – Arcing wires
-Cottage Street in Mount Vernon (Mutual-aid) – Residential Fire
-Coshocton Avenue – Lines and pole down
-14000 block of Toms Road – Tree down in power lines.
Treat all lines down as if they are energized. Be safe traveling tonight with the wind and the sleet that has been falling over the last few hours.
MVC sends department responding on Thursday afternoon
R415, G412, G414 were dispatched at 3:12pm on Thursday afternoon to the area of Toms Road near Old Mansfield on the report of a head on two car motor vehicle collision.
Units arriving on scene found no entrapment, no extrication required, and no transport of patients. Crews disconnected the batteries on both vehicles and performed traffic control in the area.
The FCFD had eight personnel respond to this call. All FCFD units were back in quarters by 5:01pm.
FCFD responds to Barn Fire on Spillway
CH411, E419, T417, G412, and a Medic unit from Fredericktown EMS were dispatched at 2:11pm on Wednesday to 17000 block of Spillway drive on the report of a barn fire.
The initial arriving FCFD unit marked on scene with a working fire and smoke showing from the eaves on a roughly 25’ x 50’ block structure. Additional mutual-aid was requested from Johnsville Fire (Morrow Co), Troy Township (Richland Co), Jefferson Township (Richland Co), Monroe Township, and the Mount Vernon Fire Department.
Crews stretched multiple 1 ¾” attack lines to begin suppression. Additional incoming units assisted with ventilation, fire attack, and overhaul. Water supply was setup by G412 drafting from a pond just down the roadway from the scene.
The FCFD had 11 personnel respond to this call. All FCFD units were back in quarters by 4:41pm.
Structure fire on Colony Drive
CH411, CH412, E419, E413, T417, G412 were dispatched at 8:42pm on Monday evening to Colony Drive in the Village of Fredericktown on the report of a single family residential structure fire.
The initial arriving unit on scene found smoke showing from the house trailer. CH412 was met by the homeowner who said it was a stove fire and he had put it out. E419 began ventilation of the house trailer. Additional arriving units assisted with searching for any fire extension beyond the affected area, finding none.
The FCFD had a total of 17 firefighters and two cadets respond to this call. All FCFD units were back in quarters by 10:23pm.
Fredericktown Police Department and Fredericktown EMS also assisted with this call.
FCFD warns of potentially hazardous antiques
Although it can happen anytime, summertime and nice weather brings the prime time for garage sales, auctions, and antiquing, both on the part of the buyer and the seller. Those on the hunt for antiques and things that catch their eye sometimes however get more than they bargained for with their purchase.
An alert homeowner on Green Valley Road, within the Fredericktown Community Fire District brought crews responding to a dangerous situation at their home on Saturday afternoon. The homeowner contacted the Knox County Sheriff’s Office after finding that an antique bottle his wife purchased at a sale unknowingly contained an explosive chemical. Research on the labeling of the bottled determined it contained Picric Acid, and with the age and form it was something very unstable. In the form the acid was found in, it was both shock sensitive and sensitive to metal. The explosive power we were informed was similar to nitroglycerin.
The FCFD had two chiefs along with an engine respond to the scene to be on standby during the course of the operation. The Bomb Squad from the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident with their team and were able to safely dispose of the bottle and contents utilizing one pound of C4.
Incidents like this are nothing new within our community, over the course of the last several years the FCFD has responded to incidents with unstable materials requiring the assistance of bomb squad units from around Central Ohio. As people are cleaning out old barns, garages, and basements are often times when old chemicals and potentially dangerous items are found.
A quick search of the Internet and fire service publications rendered numerous results for picric acid incidents from around the United States requiring assistance from bomb squads and EOD teams. In addition to the form we found it in on Saturday, a more common response has been to decades old first aid kits containing “picric acid gauze pads.”
Although its primary use is as an explosive, over the years picric acid has found other uses in medicine as an antiseptic, burn treatments, and other uses, but early on was also used as a dye.
If you find some type of hazardous, dangerous, explosive, or unknown material such as the picric acid that we dealt with in our community over the weekend we would recommend the following:
1. Call 911 and provide them with as much information as possible to what you have found. Name of material, description, and where it is located.
2. Stay away from and keep others from the area surrounding the material or device in question.
3. Leave the material where it is. Do not attempt to move it, transfer it to another location, or change the container it is in, doing so may cause a reaction. Trained professionals will respond to where the material is and determine the safest manner to dispose of the situation.
4. Do not simply pour it down the drain, not only are you putting that into the sewer system, but potentially the material is reactive to water or metal in the pipes.
5. Doing anything other than leaving this situation to the trained professionals is extremely dangerous.
Special Board Meeting – May 30
This is a joint meeting between the Fire and EMS boards on May 30th. The meeting will be held at the Fredericktown Firehouse, 139 Columbus Road in Fredericktown.
If you have questions, make sure to contact your local trustees, councilpersons to have them answered.
Here are some recent media links to meetings and events.
Firefighters Voice Stance on Merge – 2017
Emotions high as staffing turned down
Fredericktown Fire Rejects Paid Staff
Firefighters battle hay fire
CH411, E419, T417, G412, G414 were dispatched at 11:48am on Saturday morning to the 19000 block of Ankneytown Road on the report of a trailer load of hay on fire.
Upon arrival of CH411 the trailer of hay was off the roadway and unhooked from the truck. Unburned hay was being removed by hand.
Firefighters stretched the 1 3/4″ line from the bumper of E419 for suppression and crews used hand tools to tear apart bales. A draft site was setup nearby at Knox lake for water supply.
A total of nine firefighters and one cadet responded to the call. All FCFD crews were back in quarters by 1:39pm.
FCFD responds mutual aid to Mount Vernon structure fire
CH411, E419, E413, R415 were dispatched at 2:10am on Sunday morning to North Gay Street in Mount Vernon on the report of a structure fire.
The crew of E419 and CH411 assisted with overhaul and searching for fire extension. E413 and R415 were setup in staging.
The FCFD had a total of 12 firefighters respond to the call.
Ankneytown Road crash closes roadway briefly
CH411 and R415 were dispatched at 3:58pm on Thursday to the 20000 block of Ankneytown Road (OH-95) on the report of a motor vehicle crash. Fredericktown EMS was dispatched as well, responding two medic units.
Upon arrival CH411 found two pickup trucks involved with heavy damage to both. One vehicle was in the roadway and the other cam to rest against a house. No extrication was required. Firefighters disabled the vehicles and assisted with traffic.
The FCFD had 13 firefighters and one cadet respond to the call. All units were back in quarters by 5:23pm.
