fire science filed report responding
Our engine was dispatched to a structure fire reported to be from a malfunctioning electrical meter on the exterior of a townhouse. Our staffing that day was 4 personnel and we arrived as the fourth engine out of five. We reported to the command post and were directed to pull a secondary line to the rear of the building where the electric meter was located. The townhouse was a second from the end unit with a Bravo Exposure and three Delta Exposures. The electrical meter was on the exterior of a storage shed and the shed was attached to the rear of the townhouse. The only way to enter the storage shed to gain access was to exit the townhouse and enter the storage shed from outside. There was no direct way into the shed from the townhouse. The occupant had already exited the structure on his own accord and was being evaluated by the medic unit due to an electrocution. The first arriving engine had contained the fire with dry chemical fire extinguishers and CO2 extinguishers. The rescue and truck were ventilating the structure because some smoke had entered the structure, but no fire had extended into the structure. Once we had our second line in place, I looked up and noticed that the first arriving engine was starting to do salvage and overhaul on the shed and had started to use a 1 ¾ attack line to extinguish hot spots. I asked the rescue squad officer to find out if the power was still on to the meter by checking to see if the measuring wheel inside was still spinning. He came back to me and stated that it was still spinning and that it appeared to still have power. As I was getting ready to radio command, I saw a blue arc of electricity above the crew with the attack line. I did a face to face with command and told them that we should immediately stop using water until the power company could secure the power to the house. The battalion chief stated to me that he agreed, but if the fire in the house started to flare back up, he wanted us to try and hold the fire in check with a minimal amount of water. I explained to him that I did not agree with this, and he stated that he still wanted us to keep the fire in check if it flared back up. At this point I did not want to argue with him in front of everybody because the fire did appear to be completely out and there did not appear to be a chance of rekindle. Had it flared back up, I would have ordered crews not to put it out and argued my point with the battalion chief regardless of his wishes. I went and spoke with the captain in charge of the first arriving company about what had happened and asked them if they saw the blue arc of electricity above their head. They stated that they did not see it, but if their crew had not put so much water on it, they felt this would not have happened. I informed him I did not think their tactic was a good idea no matter how much water was put on it because the power was still active to the structure.
Lessons Learned
When the source of the fire is electrical in nature, only extinguishing agents that do not conduct electricity should be used for extinguishing fires, big or small. Departments should practice "risk a lot to save a lot and risk little to save little." The battalion chief in charge should not have instructed his crews to keep the fire in check with water with no life safety issues in the structure or the adjacent exposures. Command officers have to trust their line officers when they inform them that tactics are unsafe. When officers are told of their mistakes, they should accept the criticism and not make excuses from deviating from sound judgment. Individuals, like me, should voice their safety concerns as soon as they see them happen. If I had told the crew flowing water to stop immediately when I questioned whether or not the power was secured, the water would have never come in contact with the power causing the blue arc of electricity. When I saw the salvage and overhaul taking place, I knew that there wasn’t any extension into the structure and that there were no life safety issues in the structure or exposures.
Demographics
Department Type: Combination, Mostly volunteer
Job or Rank: Captain
Department Shift: Straight days (12 hour)
Age: 34 - 42
Years of Fire Service Experience: 14 - 16
Region: FEMA Region III
Service Area: Suburban
Event Information
Event Type: Fire emergency event: structure fire, vehicle fire, wildland fire, etc.
Date and Time: Apr 25 2011 3:30PM
Hours Into the Shift:
Event Participation: Involved in the event
Weather at Time of Event:
Do you think this will happen again?
Contributing Factors? Command, Decision Making, Human Error, Individual Action, Other
What do you believe is the loss potential?: Life threatening injury
