Burkittsville, MD - On Sunday morning, December 29th, multiple emergency crews from Frederick and Washington Counties were alerted to Burkittsville for a working structure fire shortly after 7:00 A.M. Frederick County’s 911 Center received the call reporting a structure fire on East Main Street and quickly alerted several departments due on Box 5-14 to respond to the incident. Within minutes, Frederick County Fire & Rescue’s FD200 was approaching the area and reported heavy smoke showing from a house and the Burkittsvlle Post Office, both involved with heavy fire conditions.

Firefighters arrived and set up for fire attack as FD200 surveyed the scene to develop a plan of attack. Two structures were reported to be involved, and all occupants were confirmed to be out of the structures. FD200 immediately established command and requested the Rapid Intervention Dispatch started. Firefighters quickly deployed several attack lines to begin their fire attack as the flames were quickly spreading.

Crews battling the early-morning blaze were faced with rapid deteriorating conditions and limited water supply as the fire was quickly devouring both structures. Command recognized the need for additional resources and called for the Fire Taskforce and Tanker Taskforce to be started on the scene as firefighters were attempting an interior attack to battle the blaze. At 7:31 A.M., the structure's integrity showed signs of possible collapse and Command called for the evacuation tones to be sounded and had all personnel pulled from the building. Within minutes of the evacuation, the roof on the primary fire building began to collapse as firefighters were beginning to run low on water.

The plan of attack quickly changed to a defensive exterior only operation. Crews began setting up to begin Ladder Pipe Operations as firefighters worked to set up their alternative water supply with tanker shuttle operations to re-establish a good water supply. Once established, firefighters were able to get a significant knock on the blaze and had it under control within 90 minutes of their initial arrival on the scene.

Emergency crews remained on the scene for several hours conducting extensive overhaul operations. The primary fire building was a house that was converted into an apartment building, and the secondary structure was the local Burkittsville Post Office. Both buildings suffered extensive damage. Several occupants of the apartment building were home at the time of the blaze but were able to safely self-extricate themselves. One occupant was transported to Frederick Memorial Hospital for evaluation and one firefighter sustained a fall from a ladder and was transported to Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown for their injuries. The American Red Cross was called to the scene to assist 10 occupants displaced by the fire.

Crews from several departments responded back out the next morning around 1:21 A.M. for a rekindle at the Post Office. The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office arrived to find fire through the roof of the Post Office. Middletown Chief 7 arrived confirming the reports and advised that there was heavy fire on side 'Charlie' of the structure. Firefighters arrived and conducted a defensive attack. Units were committed on the scene for several hours Monday morning battling the blaze and conducting overhaul operations on the Post Office building.

The cause of the Burkittsville blaze is under investigation by the Frederick County Fire Marshal’s Office. Frederick County Fire Marshals did receive initial assistance from the Howard County Fire Department Fire Marshal’s Office and received support from the Alcohol, Tobacco, Fire Arms and Explosives agency who was notified of the incident since it involved a United States Postal Service building.

Over 75 emergency responders from four counties answered the calls between both Sunday and Monday morning’s incidents. Frederick County responded with units from Brunswick VFC Co.5, Middletown VFC Co.7, Jefferson VFC Co.20, Braddock Heights Fire Co.12, Brunswick Vol. Ambulance Co.19, Myersville VFC Co.8, Carroll Manor Fire Co.14, Citizens Truck Company Co.4, Independent Hose Company Co.1, and Wolfsville VFC Co.21. Frederick received assistance from Washington County’s Rohrersville VFC Co.8, Boonsboro VFC Co.6, Sharpsburg VFC Co.1, Jefferson County West Virginia’s Shepherdstown VFC Co.3, Loudon County’s Lovettsville Fire & Rescue Station 612 and Loudoun Heights Fire & Rescue Station 626.

Additional assistance was received from Jefferson County’s Blue Ridge Mountain VFC Co.5, Thurmont’s Guardian Hose Company Co.10, Lewistown VFC Co.22, Independent Hose Company Co.1, New Market VFC Co.15, and Walkersville Vol. Rescue Company Co.24, who transferred units in and covered the area while units were committed on the scene Sunday morning. United Fire Company Co.3, Urbana VFC Co.23, and Independence Hose Company Co.1 assisted during the Monday morning rekindle transferring units in to cover the area as well.