Lack of Aggressive Firefighting?

[11927]

Vacant House Burns In Maryland; Owner Questions Firefighters' Actions



Associated Press

BETHESDA, Md. (AP) -- A suspicious fire destroyed a vacant house in Bethesda early Saturday morning, amid claims by the home's owner that firefighters didn't do all they could to save the property.

The home in the 9100 block of Charred Oak Drive burned to the ground just after midnight.

At least eight other fires have occurred there in the last two years. Neighbors said the home had been an eyesore.

Homeowner Kathleen Jongedyk said someone set the fire to ``drive her out.'' She also accused Montgomery County firefighters of failing to fight the fire aggressively.

Capt. Oscar Garcia said nearby units responded quickly to the scene, but that the home was already engulfed by the time firefighters arrived. Garcia said crews took the safest action possible to protect firefighters from injury.

The exact cause remains under investigation.

[Lurker]

At least eight other fires have occurred there in the last two years. Aggressive firefighting in this building would be stupid, unsafe and irresponsible.

The county had erected a chain link fence around the property.

[Chopper Lover]

Lurker is 100% correct!

Being familiar with the situation the crews on the scene took appropriate action. If I remember correctly the house has not been occupied, nor repaired, since the first fire.

As a side note:
The question I have is why was this thread started here in the General area as opposed to the Montgomery County, MD area which is the jurisdiction where it occurred?

[fd141]

:cool: Commonly refered to as "Urban Renewal" :p

[hog]

first of all the IC made the choices......he/she might have sen something the homeowner didn`t......second......the building can be rebuilt.....i would of hated to hear of a firefighters death..........

[Ruuffman231]

It is still possible to be an aggressive hard charging Firefighter, Fire Oficer and not enter every structure you roll up on! In fact to many brothers are getting injured crawling into Fido's dog house while it is fully involved so they can get some heat and a little soot on their helmet. It's a much tougher test of leadership to hold back aggressive fire crews.



_______________________

"A friend will bail you out of jail. A BROTHER will be sitting their with you saying "That F*^+ing Awsome". Unknown

[stickboy]

first of all the IC made the choices......he/she might have sen something the homeowner didn`t......second......the building can be rebuilt.....i would of hated to hear of a firefighters death..........


Word.

I wonder how the owner of the condemned house would've felt if a firefighter lost his/her life saving his crappy house?

[Lt. Utah]

Risk NOTHING to save NOTHING.

[firedog25]

Too much glorifying of our jobs in the media, everyone thinks it's all about going into a blazing structure with an axe in one hand and saving a kid in the other and that it's non-stop like that.

They have no clue about recliner time. :D

[DoverLadder1]

who has the training to decide how stable the building is, how much fire, etc...not the homeowner...apparently the OIC saw something that he did not feel safe with, so did not risk his crews. better safe than sorry.