Two firefighters battling a house fire in Fulton Township (PA) fell through a floor that had become unstable during the fire, reports Lancaster Online (http://bit.ly/1fBgEPt).
Other crews trying to put out the fire at 117 Furches Road called the “mayday” distress signal shortly after the floor collapse.
The firefighters were located, removed from the home and transported to Lancaster General Hospital, said Tracy Tomlinson, chief of the Robert Fulton Fire Department.
This is the account from the Quarryville Fire Department:
“Shortly after entering the structure, a MAYDAY was transmitted by Truck 57’s OIC (FF Jamie Welk) for a firefighter through the floor into the basement. This was re-broadcast by another QFD firefighter and by LCWC. At this time, all QFD members went into rescue mode and began searching for the downed firefighter(s).
“The first firefighter was found quickly and a rescue plan was devised. The crew of FF’s Rick Hall, Hen Woerth, Isreal Stolzfus and Steven Roop called for an attic ladder that was lowered down into the hole in the floor in the kitchen and assisted the firefighter up and out…
“The second firefighter was located by FF’s Jamie Welk and Jim Herr after finding the interior basement stairs and descending them. That firefighter was quickly taken out of the structure. A seconday search was completed by Union FC and QFD firefighters, making sure all were accounted for. Crews then exited the structure, re-grouped and re-entered to finish up knocking down any remaining fire.”
For related training articles, consider Through -the -Floor Rescue Using a Hoseline, SAVING OUR OWN: THE FIREFIGHTER WHO HAS FALLEN THROUGH THE FLOOR, and On the Line: Crawl Before You Walk.
