At 2:59 pm on Friday, March 21, Companies 1, 2, and 3 were dispatched to a reported garage fire on Rochester Road. First arriving officer Lt. Geoff Thomas (302) confirmed a detached building well involved with fire. Moments later Asst. Deputy Boyle (C3) arrived and declared a working fire, followed by Chief Weston (C1) who assumed Incident Command and assigned C3 to Operations. Deputy Germaine (C2) was assigned the role of Water Supply Officer.
First due Engine 3 was on scene immediately after and rapidly deployed two hose lines to attack the fire. Engines 1 and 2 arrived along with Tanker 1 and Rescue 1 in quick succession, providing water for E3 and deploying a 3rd attack line. Engine 4 was the Water Supply pumper, drafting water from a static source near the fire.
Despite arriving to a fully involved structure, the fire was knocked down within 15 minutes of being dispatched. Carver does not have fire hydrants, and with the large volume of fire encountered, thousands of gallons of water were required immediately. Our system of tankers, booster backup, and aggressive drafting from static water supplies kept this fire from spreading to adjacent structures and woods. Having dozens of firefighters on the scene within minutes allowed the independent deployment of 3 separate hand lines to attack the fire, all while Incident Command and Water Supply were being established without compromise. Engine 3 never ran out of water.
Additional hazards included a compromised structure that was in danger of collapse, prohibiting members from entering, and numerous compressed gas cylinders that were venting due to the exposure to fire. We are grateful for the dedication of our members who once again answered the call in force during the critical daytime hours, the traditional challenge for on-call fire departments
Carver Police Department managed traffic and crowd control, while Carver EMS responded for EMS standby. Wareham Fire Department E5 provided station coverage and Plympton Fire department Tanker 1 assisted with additional water. The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental and is not considered to be suspicious. There were no injuries to firefighters or civilians. (Photo’s by Future CFD Firefighter, Matt Heath)
