Ruffed Grouse House Fire
July 2nd, 2012 - Early Monday morning Wintergreen Fire and Rescue was dispatched for reports of heavy black smoke coming from a house in the area of Black Walnut and Ruffed Grouse in Wintergreen's Stoney Creek community. A fire volunteer from Wintergreen/Rockfish was in the area and also recognized the smoke and reported the fire to dispatch.
Wintergreen Fire and Rescue was dispatched at 06:45 and the first engine arrived on scene at 06:50 with heavy fire involvement from the main part of the house on sides A, C, and D. The crews immediately went into defensive mode attacking the fire with the master streams from Engine 1 and Engine 3. The fire had spread into the woods on the "C" side of the house and was immediately extinguished with an attack line. After the initial knock down the crews were pulled back and reassigned for an extensive overall operation.
At this time the origin of the fire is not yet confirmed but suspected that a lightning strike was the cause. However, the fire is still under investigation. There were no reported injuries to any firefighters and the house was unoccupied at the time of the fire.
Units on scene of the fire were Wintergreen Engine 1, Engine 2, Engine 3, Response 9, Squad 1, Chief 1, Chief 2, and Chief 3. Rockfish units on scene were Engine 51 and Medic 58. Faber Fire units on scene was Tanker 37. Thanks to all.