1st Responder Broadcast Network is the definitive source of local news for the Emergency Service Community portal and Resource for Firefighting, Fire, Rescue, EMS and Safety.

WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD - On March 4, 2009 calls came into Washington County E.C.C. reporting a house fire on Porterstown Road near Toyer Road just outside of Keedysville. Emergency crews were immediately dispatched out at 8:20 p.m. Potomac Valley Unit 11-0 was one of the first units to arrive to find heavy fire coming from the second floor at 19402 Porterstown Road. Unit 11-0 reported their findings to dispatch and assumed Porterstown Road Command and requested the Working Fire Assignment.

Firefighters arriving on the scene work for over an hour to bring the blaze under control. They had heavy fire from the first floor up into the attic space gutting the entire second floor and attic. Command was able to report the fire knocked down at 10:03 p.m. Crews remained for an additional two hours conducting overhaul operations.

While crews worked to dowse the hot spots, Command requested an FM to the scene. Fire marshal Ed Ernst from the State Fire Marshals Office responded to investigate the blaze. After assessing the scene, Deputy Ernst was able to declare the fire started at the furnace quickly spreading throughout the house.

Over 50 firefighters responded out to the blaze that evening. No injuries to the occupants of the house or the responding emergency workers were reported during the incident. All fire department operations were complete around 23:00 ours at which time Command was terminated and crews began clearing the scene.

Sharpsburg Fire Co.1 responded on the incident with mutual aid assistance from Rohrersville Fire Company 8, Boonsboro Fire Co.6, Potomac Valley Fire Co.11, Fairplay Fire Co.12, Shepherdstown Fire Co.3, Washington County Special Operations 20, Sharpsburg Rescue Co.19, Boonsboro Rescue Co.69, Washington County Emergency Air Unit 25, and Rehab Unit 255.