Woman Suffers Serious Burns in Poolesville House Fire
A woman suffered serious burns to her legs and torso after being awakened in her bedroom by a raging fire in her house in a rural area outside of Poolesville Monday afternoon.
Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service units responded to reports of a house fire in the 15100 block of Sugarland Road near the intersection with Partnership Road in Poolesville. Arriving units encountered heavy fire in the house and garage area, a fully engulfed vehicle, and a semi-conscious burn victim who had been able to escape the flames.
According to MCFRS senior spokesperson Pete Piringer, the woman suffered potentially life-threatening burns and was transport as a Priority 1 patient to a local medical burn unit. According to radio transmissions, the 50-year-old female victim awoke in her bedroom as her legs and torso were being burned from the heat of the fire.
The fire destroyed much of the house in the garage area, resulting in walls collapsing. The heat from the fire ignited a vehicle parked in the driveway. Firefighters had to contend with a gasoline-fueled fire as gas leaked from the vehicle onto the driveway.
According to Piringer, there were two people home at the time of the fire; one occupant was able to escape without injury, while the other suffered significant burns.
The house is located in the very rural area of Poolesville in a non-hydrant area. As a result, the MCFRS had to activate a number of tanker trucks which shuttled water from a fill site almost four miles away in the parking lot at Our Lady of the Presentation Catholic Church at the corner of Tom Fox Avenue and Fisher Avenue.
Piringer said the family of four, two adults and two adult children would be displaced due to the extensive fire and structural damage to the house. Montgomery County Fire and Explosive Investigators were on scene to determine the cause of the fire. Investigators required heavy equipment to assist in removing debris from the collapsed walls as they work to establish a source of the fire. About 75 firefighters were on scene fighting the fire.
Captions:
Top: Firefighters battle a car fire as the house in the 15100 block of Sugarland Road smolders in the background.
Next: A MCFRS firefighter recovers after being part of the interior attack on the house fire, pieces of fallen insulation can be seen on his arm, as fellow firefighters can be seen attacking burning car parked in the driveway in the background.
Next: The garage area of the house was completely destroyed by the fire.
Next: Firefighters attack the burning car, the fire was being fueled by gasoline dripping from the vehicle. MCFRS eventually had to use foam to extinguish the vehicle fire.
Next: Firefighters make a plan to attack the house fire, as another team pours water on the garage area.
Next: MCFRS personnel prepare to make an interior attack through the front door of the house on Sugarland Road.
Next: The burned out back end of the house with firefighters discussion overhaul options. Photo courtesy MCFRS.
Photos by Germantown Pulse, unless otherwise noted.
