Pennsbury Township Board of Supervisors on Wednesday honored members of the Kennett Regional Fire Department for their rescue of a 15-year-old trapped in a burning house. The fire was at a home on Jacobs Way on Saturday, Nov. 9, and the youth was trapped in an upstairs bedroom.
Supervisors’ Chairman Aaron McIntyre, who is also on the EMS Commission, was able to view a body camera video of the rescue, and called it “really incredible, a lot of bravery…All of the township residents have been very impressed, and I can speak for all of them in saying thank you.”
The regional fire department is comprised of several fire companies, with Longwood Fire Co. among them. Longwood’s Fire Chief A.J. McCarthy, who took command at the scene, gave a brief description of the action that took place the night of the fire that broke out shortly before 9 p.m. in the upper floor of the home. He said the cause of the fire remains undetermined.
In speaking of the incident with the board and residents at the meeting, he said firefighting crews from 12 companies with about 75 firefighters responded to the two-alarm blaze, and they were able to get most of the family out of the house quickly, but the 15-year-old was trapped in an upstairs bedroom. They were able to get the boy to safety by 9:10 p.m. The boy did suffer some minor injuries and was transported for treatment.
McCarthy noted that Kennett firefighters Jason Nichols and Fernando Tapia were the two who made the rescue, with Nichols getting the teenager while Tapia fought to keep the fire away from them during the rescue attempt.
During the discussion, McIntyre said, “That fire was really close to that fireman upstairs, and the young man was not letting go of the bed. He did not want to go out. That fire was coming closer and closer.”
There were challenges to getting the fire under control. McCarthy said there was no fire hydrant in the immediate vicinity of the home, so hoses were laid from Kennett Pike and through a wooded area.
“We laid about 5,000 feet of hose,” he said.
The fire was declared under control at approximately 10:55 p.m.
Township solicitor Tom Oeste read the commendation resolution honoring the firefighters, part of which read:
“Whereas on upon arrival on the scene, the fire was well advanced, and the fire crews immediately placed a hose line in service and began searching for the victim. Whereas a Kennett Fire Co. officer quickly located the victim, and members from both Longwood and Kennett worked to remove the victim in limited visibility and difficult conditions, then transferred the victim to emergency medical services.
“Be it resolved…the Board of Supervisors hereby recognizes, thanks, applauds, and commends the Kennett Regional Fire Department, Longwood Fire Co., Kennett Fire Co. No. 1, and the individual officers and firefighters for their dedicated and selfless service to Pennsbury Township, and their heroic actions in extricating and saving the fire victim and extinguishing the fire on Jacobs Way in Pennsbury Township.”
(Fire images below are courtesy of Longwood Fire Co. and Richard Franks.)
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
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