ETNA, Maine — Firefighters from 13 communities knocked down a blaze at 289 West Etna Road on Wednesday during what the deputy chief called one of the most widespread responses to a structure fire in the town’s history.
A neighbor and someone driving by the two-story home called 911 about 10:30 a.m. Monday to report the flames, a dispatcher from Penobscot Regional Communications Center said.
Firefighters from Etna, Plymouth, Newport, Dixmont, Hermon, Levant, Carmel, Pittsfield, St. Albans, Detroit and other towns responded to calls for aid as intense flames tore through the building on a warm day.
“When we first got there, there was smoke coming out of every part of the building,” Deputy Fire Chief Aaron Brown said late Monday afternoon.
Crews were called out from 13 communities because of concerns about heat exhaustion from the day’s heat and the fact that some firefighters had little rest between the fire in Etna and the response to an early morning fire in Carmel.
Brown said Etna firefighters only had a one-hour respite between fires.
“They were already exhausted, so you pretty much had to have a fresh group every time you went in,” Brown said.
One female firefighter from Etna suffered heat exhaustion and was treated in an ambulance and later transported to Eastern Maine Medical Center. She has since been released, according to Brown.
Brown thanked Etna Village Variety for donating nine cases of water and thanked other community members who came out in support of firefighters during the hot day.
Members of the Carmel Firefighters Auxiliary came to the scene with ice cream to help fire crews cool down.
Nobody was home when the fire broke out and neighbors notified the residents of the fire over the phone, according to Brown. The assistant chief said he didn’t know if the family had insurance.
Brown said the building likely was a total loss.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office could not be reached Friday evening to identify the cause of the fire.
BDN photographer Kevin Bennett contributed to this report.
Did they seriously need to put a pic of someone “enjoying” ice cream while someones house burns?What is wrong with this newspaper!
Well what else do you do with ice cream? Eat it sullenly? Heck, even if it were my house burning down, I’d probably still “enjoy” an ice cream cone if someone passed me one. Ice cream is delicious.
No, you wouldn’t. You would be hysterical. It is obvious you have never lost your home to a fire or ever been around those who have.
That comment was mostly in jest, but I have had a home fire, which took about half the house and we managed to recover some possessions. Certainly not the best day of my life, but no one was hurt and things are just things. What’s important in this story is that no one was hurt. It’s unfortunate that the residents lost things, but it’s wonderful that they were only things.
Ice cream break during a fire? WTF!!!!
I never once had an ice cream handed to me after I came out of a structure fire once my SCBA needed to be refilled. We normally handed off our cylinder to be refilled, grasped a new one and went back to fighting the fire.
The few times when I was completely exhausted I wouldn’t have had the strength to lay around
and enjoy an ice cream cone. She doesn’t even look like she ever broke a sweet.
I normally don’t complain about pictures the BDN post but that one is a bit of disgrace.
Let m tell you something Kevin if you re a firefighter you know how a firefighter can be overcome from the heat and smoke. if you look at the picture of the fire the fiefighter on the right is the one that needed to take a break she had been fighting that fire for quite awhile. She was suffering from heat exhaustion. She puts her life on the line everyday and then a jerk like you comes along with your snide remarks. How do I know? THATS MY DAUGHTER You should be ashamed of yourself so if you think that her needing a break is a disgrace look in the mirror i am thankful you are not on her team. You are no more then a jerk and i feel sorry for your Dept.
PS if you let me know what Dept you work for ill be sure to send them a sympathy card !!!!!!!
Maybe he is just upset because they don’t have people where he is that care about their fire department people like our little communities such as Carmel, Etna, Hermon, Levant, Stetson, Newburgh, Plymouth, etc. We have townspeople who really do care for our departments. Kevin, If you are from Bangor FD (since you are Kevin of Bangor), if you are even a fire fighter, be thankful that you get paid good wages for your work versus those small towns who just volunteer and make like $6 – $10 per call and might be there for 5 hours at a time.
Heck ya, let them have their ice cream to cool off. They deserve it and probably work harder for it.
Kevin, you obviously are very full of yourself and think you are the expert when it comes to fighting fires. If you take a look at the first photo, where they are back-to fighting the intense blaze, the helmet with 6911 is the same fire fighter, who later, enjoyed a cold icecream some good samaritan gave them. The firefighters did indeed break a sweat (not sweet by the way) and this is one way for them to cool off. Narrow minded people such as yourself should not be tearing down the actions of others when you don’t know the rest of the story.
Oh, and by the way, you also have no right to judge whether or not someone has ever been through a fire as you did to generic commenter. You kind of have your foot in your mouth now.
Did anyone ever think that maybe the fire was either already out or just about out or maybe another crew had taking over at the time this picture was taken so others could have water, gatorade or as she was doing, lying down and having something cold like an ice cream. It was hot, there was heat exhaustion involved, and it is best to lie down and have water and such so you don’t pass out. Let’s don’t judge people unless you been there and done that. And Carmel Auxiliary asked what could be brought to help out and they were told ICE CREAM. So that is where it came from. GREAT JOB FOR ALL THE AUXILIARY PEOPLE AND OTHERS WHO CAME TO HELP. I applaud you.
You know, I came in here to comment on how proud I was to read about all the help the community gave the fire fighters. It was nice to see some of that sense of pride and community that used to the way of life here in Maine. Isn’t sad that some folks just have to come in and make it about them ? Don’t let the foolishness here get to you, you will find if you are here enough that it is just a handful of the same wet blankets that have all negative comments.
I was overwhelmed with pride when I read this. Great job ! Every fire fighter that showed up, primarily volunteers, deserves an ice cream and a pat on the back. It was a dreadfully hot and humid day and the community appreciates your service.
Glad to see others appreciate it too. I am not a fire fighter but I truly believe without them, there would be many lives lost and homes lost. They do more than most people realize. I have watched many training sessions when going by and they work hard. I command them as well as our military people.
Gosh, my grammar is terrible today. Line two should be “taken” not taking. Line five, add “have” after the word you (… you have been there and done that.)