Bladensburg House Fire
April 6, 1998

Firefighters Rescue Trapped Occupant

At about 1:30 this afternoon a citizen noticed smoke coming from a house at 4820 Edmonston Road in Bladensburg. The citizen drove to the Bladensburg Fire Station located just two blocks from the house fire and notified the fire fighters there of the situation. As these fire fighters responded to the scene they radioed in the location of the incident and requested additional units.

Upon their arrival, Fire Lieutenant Elmer Mahaffey, Fire Technician John Crisman, Fire Fighter Jeff Burton and Volunteer Fire Fighter Tim Delahaney were told by a citizen that there was still an occupant trapped on the second floor. The firef fighters encountered heavy fire in the basement of a two-story single family home with thick black smoke coming from the first and second floors. Fire Lt. Mahaffey along with Crisman and Delahaney placed a ladder to the second floor of the house and ascended it. They were able to locate a 51-year-old male in respiratory distress, removed him from the house via the ladder and immediately provided him oxygen.

During this rescue attempt, Fire Fighter Burton extended a hose line in attempt to put a knock on the fire and sustained first degree burns to his neck and second degree burns to his ear. The rescued occupant suffered smoke inhalation and was treated on the scene and refused to be transported to the hospital as recommended by paramedics treating him. Fire Fighter Burton was transported to the Burn Unit at Washington Hospital Center where he was treated for his injuries and released.

There was a total of 40 fire fighters and rescue personnel on the scene from Bladensburg, Riverdale Heights, Cottage City, Riverdale, Hyattsville, Tuxedo and Mount Rainer fire stations who battled this fire which was extinguished in about 15 minutes. The fire was caused by an electrical outlet in the basement and caused about $55,000 in damages. The three occupants of the house advised that they would obtain alternate housing on their own.

Senator Babara Mikulski, in the area on other business, stopped by the scene and offered congratutions to the fire fighters on a job well done and consoled the occupants on thei tragic loss. Senator Mikulski credited Fire Fighter training for the ability to rescue the occupant and battle the fire and stated "a fire fighter not trained properly is a fire fighter in trouble." She told Fire Fighter Burton that "he literally placed himself in the line of fire" when he sustained his burns while attempting to control the fire.

Also See Online: Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department