Firefighters from the Bay District Volunteer Fire Department (Stations 3 and 9), along with surrounding mutual aid companies, responded to an apartment fire in the 20700 block of Old Great Mills Road on Friday morning.

At approximately 10:10 a.m., the St. Mary’s County Emergency Communications Center dispatched units for a reported structure fire. Engine 32 from Bay District Station 3 arrived on scene at 10:16 a.m., bringing its own water supply and deploying a 400-foot attack line. The officer of Engine 32 immediately established tactical command as crews began investigating the smoke-filled apartment.

Personnel from Engine 32, Engine 132, and Tower 9 made entry and located a fire in a bedroom that had been converted into an office. Conditions inside included moderate smoke and heat. Firefighters quickly began suppression efforts despite encountering a frozen hydrant, which temporarily delayed the establishment of a sustained water supply. The issue was resolved efficiently, and Engine 73 was directed to supply water to Engine 132 using an alternate source.

Additional crews arrived to check for fire extension on both floors of the structure. Their inspections confirmed the fire was contained to the room of origin with no spread to adjacent units. Although a Working Incident Task Force was initially requested due to the conditions on arrival, it was later returned as the situation was brought under control and scaled back to units from Bay District Stations 3 and 9, Station 13, and one BLS ambulance.

The coordinated response and decisive actions of all personnel ensured the fire was quickly contained and no injuries were reported.

Fire Prevention Tip:
Test your smoke alarms monthly and replace the batteries at least once a year. Early detection saves lives.

*** ALL Photos Courtesy of scanmd.org ***