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The Funeral: A Small Town Says Farewell to One of its Own
DAVE J. IANNONE
Firehouse.Com Senior Editor
A Greenwood, Del. Assistant Chief was killed Sunday when a controlled burn of a house used for training earlier went tragically wrong, trapping him in an attic which was quickly engulfed in flames, officials said.
From Greenwood Volunteer Fire Company Web Site
2nd Assistant Chief Arnold Blankenship
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Arnold Blankenship, III, the department's 2nd Assistant Chief, was setting fire
to the attic area of a two-and-a-half story wood frame dwelling when an apparent
flashover occurred, according to Jim Cubbage, Asst. State Fire Marshal.
Sources told Firehouse.Com News that a house burning exercise had
concluded and Blankenship was setting a 'contolled fire' in the attic as
they attempted to burn the remainder of the house. The fire advanced quicker
than expected, trapping him.
The source said a full investigation is underway and it was not yet determined
whether Blankenship was using his breathing apparatus at the time of the
apparant flashover.
The death is the first fatality to a Delaware firefighter due
to burns or injury at a fire scene in at least 20 years and only the fourth
line of duty death in the state in that same time period.
Blankenship, 27, became trapped in the attic and members of his department were
pushed back by the intense heat and flames when attempting to rescue him,
Cubbage said.
The six-year-veteran is survived by his wife, Dawn, and one-year-old son
Zachary.
No other injuries were immediately reported, officials said.
The incident happened at about 9:41 a.m. and the fire was brought under control
in less than a hour by fire departments from throughout Sussex and Kent counties
which responded to assist Greenwood.
Blankenship's body was taken to an area hospital where an autopsy will be
performed to determine the exact cause of death.
A joint investigation is underway involved the Delaware Fire Marshal's office and
the Delaware State Police.
The Delaware Volunteer Firemen's Association Critical Incident Stress Management
Team, together with its Chaplain's Corps, is
supporting and counseling firefighters from Greenwood and neighboring companies, a statement
said.
"Delaware's fire service has an outstanding safety record, but
this training accident reminds us all that firefighting
is a dangerous business for the thousands of firefighters
throughout our state who willingly place themselves in
harms way to train and save the lives of others," Association President Steve Austin
said in a statement. "As we mourn the passing of Second Assistant Chief Blankenship
we should take comfort in his selfless commitment to
serve the residents of his community in keeping with
the proud tradition of the fire service in Delaware."
According to the United States Fire Administration and Firehouse.Com research,
Blankenship is the first line of duty death in Delaware in over two years.
On Jan. 6, 1998, Prince A. Mousley, Jr., a career firefighter with the
Wilmington Fire Department suffered a fatal heart attack while engaging
in fire attack operations at the scene of a residential structure fire.
The last volunteer firefighter to die in the line of duty was on June 16, 1997
when William Jack Northam, 55, of the Laurel Fire Department suffered a heart
attack while performing duties after a vehicle accident.
Almost all fire departments in
Delaware are volunteer, with the exception of Wilmington and military agencies.
In 1990, career firefighter James Goode, Jr. of the Wilmington Fire Department
suffered a heart attack after returning from a fire scene.
In 1982, volunteer firefighter H. Thomas Tucker of the Citizen's Hose Company No. 1
in Smyrna died from injuries after falling out of the jump seat of the engine
he was riding on.
Blankenship's death will be the first in
the state that is the direct result of fireground operations (burns or injury) in the
last 20 years, during which the most complete information is available. Officials
said that Blakenship was overcome by intense flames in the flashover.
A full Fire Department funeral will commence at 1:00 PM, Thursday May 4,
2000 at the Fire Station located on US
Route13 in Greenwood.
All Fire Departments are invited and urged to attend. The Fire
Departments are requested to provide one piece of
apparatus due to space. The Fire Service is requested to stage at
Greenwood Fire Station no later than 12:00 noon.
For planning purposes and additional information contact the Fire
Company at 302-349-4529 between 07002200
hours with number of personnel and type of apparatus that will attend.
Additional information can also be obtained via
FAX at 302-542-9855.
Related Links
Apparant Flashover at Controlled Burning Traps, Kills Delaware Asst. Chief