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In the early hours of a Sunday July 6th, the morning silence was broken by a high pitched beeping sound at the house hold on Gay Street in halfway. The resident there was awoken by her smoke detector going off. When she awoke, she found her residence filling up with smoke. She went to see where it was coming from when she found it was a dehumidifier on fire in the basement of her residence. She quickly called 911 and evacuated the residence.

The Volunteer Fire Company of Halfway (Co.26 was dispatched with Funkstown Fire (Co.10) for a dehumidifier on fire in the residence. Firefighters arrived at 17543 Gay Street so find smoke showing and the residence had been evacuated. Assistant Chief Jamie Drawbaugh from Company 26 arrived and assumed Gay Street Command. Halfway firefighters made entry on side “B” to be met at the door with a heavy smoke condition. Command immediately requested the completion of the Box.

As crews from Halfway made entry into the residence, crews from Potomac Valley Fire Co.11 arrived on scene with Engine 111 in place of Company 10 and reversed layed while awaiting the arrival of Williamsport Company 2 and the Rescue Squad from Funkstown. Upon the arrival of additional units, crews on the scene were able to have the fire out and the scene under control utilizing a water can to extinguish the fire. The fire damage was limited to the dehumidifier and its surroundings. The residence also suffered smoke damage but may have been worse if the homeowners had not had a working smoke detector.

Once the scene was deemed under control by Command some units were released. The remaining units on the scene were committed for a short period while crews ventilated the residence and confirmed they had no extension problems from the fire.

Potomac Valley Fire Co.11 and Maugansville Fire Co.13 were transferred in to Funkstown Fire Co.10 standing by during the incident. They assisted Halfway Fire Co.26 along with Williamsport Fire Co.2 and Air Unit 25 on the fire ground. No injuries were reported during the incident. The cause is believed to be accidental in nature.