House Fire with Exposure in Pasco County, Florida

Feb. 13, 2006
The house, located in the rural northwest section of Pasco County known as Lacoochee, was built in the 1940s during the time the area was booming in the lumber business.

Pasco County Fire Rescue Dispatch announced the call adding that multiple calls were received.

E34 under the command of Capt, Garofalo, arrived in less than five minutes to find a wood frame (lighter pine) single family residence heavily involved. A quick size up showed a single family home exposure on side "D" where fire was already spreading to the trim boards of the roof and had broken windows.

The house, located in the rural northwest section of Pasco County known as Lacoochee, was built in the 1940s during the time the area was booming in the lumber business.

Captain Garofalo had his crew deploy two 1- 3/4 attack lines for an exterior attack while waiting for the rest of the assignments to arrive.

There was so much radiant heat on the exposure side that the nozzle of the attack line showed signs of heat damage.

E24, Capt. Mike Schultz, laid a 4" supply line from a hydrant 200 feet away and established Command. E24's four man crew manned the two lines already deployed and extended a third. Before going into defensive mode FF Kowenski (E24) was able to rescue three dogs from the interior of the house. Oxygen was administered but one dog did not survive.

Both rescue crews, one with three personnel, assisted with the mostly exterior attack. Due to the age of the house and the heat from the aged pine wood an extended time was needed to bring the fire under control.

E34 A, with a crew of three volunteers, arrived before the second rescue unit and was assigned to assist with the hose lines. B/C2, (T. Duink) responding from Station 25, arrived and assumed Command.

AT1 responded from another assignment in E17's zone. Before this unit arrived every SCBA bottle on the scene had been used.

As of 7pm, one engine was still on the scene mopping up.

The occupant of the house was at work at the time of the fire.

Investigators are just starting the process to determine the cause.

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