Just before 1500hrs PSC dispatched companies in the 6th Battalion for a house fire in the Calverton section of Beltsville. With units on the scene with a working fire PSC transffered the Tower, with 5 personnel, to Calverton station 41. While sitting at company 41 and listening and laughing at the dispatcher on the MOCO radio, PSC dropped the box for the 8700blk of Oxwell Lane in company 49's area. The crew loaded up and headed out in front of engine 343 for the 6.5 mile trek to Laurel. Rescue engine 49 along with Chief 31 arrived on the scene with fire through the roof of a two story single family home. The Tower arrived on the scene with in less then 10 minutes from dispatch and the crew went right to work. The interior crew split into two teams one going into the second floor via a ground ladder and the other team went through the front door to perform searches. The driver, along with help from the layout man from engine 343, threw 4 ground ladders, vented the windows on sides "C" and "B", and controlled the gas. With the heavy fire conditions and rapid spread command called for the evac tones.

After a quick "regroup" command sent the crews back in to the house. The Tower crew had just completed the rapid primary search when command called for the evac tones again due to the roof collapsing in on the "D" side of the house. Command put tower 10 into heavy duty operations and the crew from Tower 7 stood fast in the front yard. After about an hour of waiting for BGE to get there and tower 10 flowing into the house command scaled back the units and released Tower 7 to go home. The Tower crew made it back home just before 2000hrs.

First photo from www.Beltsvillevfd.com