As the members at Riverdale were preforming the evening clean up of the station, PSC dispatched Engine 73 for a report of wires down in the 5400blk of Riverdale Rd. The Engine responded with 7 personnel and arrived on the scene finding wires down and arcing on the ground. The wires had started to "back feed" into the house at 5404 Riverdale Rd. The officer from Engine 73 advised PSC to start Pepco and the box because the potential of a house fire. The crew made entry to the house to evacuate the citizens from the rear of the house and into a neighbors yard to safety.

Once the rest of the box arrived on the scene Command held all units on the other side of the street until Pepco arrived to confirm the power was out and it was safe to enter the house. After about 15 minutes and watching the fire grow in the house, the power was finally confirmed to be off and it deemed safe to proceed with normal fire fighting operations. Engine 73 advanced their attack line into the house and up to the second floor, Chief 7B was assigned as Division 2 Leader. With the fire having such advance with out water being put on it, it had consumed all of the knee walls on side Alpha and most of the second floor. With Chief 7B running a coordinated attack on the second floor between engines 73, 94, and truck 1 the fire was quickly brought under control in 15 minutes. With the overhaul being completed, command scaled back the assignment to engines 73, 94, truck 1, and 55. A few minutes later truck 55 was placed in service. Company 7 cleared the scene just a fer minutes after midnight. 

Photos from Billy McNeel