Firefighters attempting to rescue a victim from a burning Portsmouth (VA) house on Thursday were forced to abandon the rescue attempt and exit a window when a flashover occurred.
The victim, Edward Earl Pace Jr., died and the house was destroyed. Pace’s wife and son were transported to area hospitals; she suffered second-degree burns and smoke inhalation, while he had burns on his feet, according to a news report.
Firefighters first entered the home through the front door, but were repelled by flames. They then made entrance through the front bedroom windows when the flashover occurred. After escaping, firefighters tried to reenter through the back of the house, but they could not.
Read more about the fire incident HERE. Read a report on a recent incident in which two Bethlehem Township (PA) firefighters were injured in a flashover HERE. Learn more about the phenomenon of flashover HERE.
