On Monday afternoon, Station 5 was alerted along with Stations 2, 1, and 7 for the Engine to Fairhaven Road in Mechanicsville for a house fire. This was located off Ryceville Road just into Charles County. Engine 52 responded to the scene with four volunteers. As crews were beginning to battle the fire a second alarm was sounded. Tanker 5 was alerted on the second alarm and responded with two volunteers. First arriving crews found a two story house with heavy fire on the second floor. Crews began an interior attack to extinguish the fire but with deteriorating conditions and water supply issues in the rural area, all personnel were evacuated from the house. Engine 52's crew was set up as the RIT while personnel were operating inside. Once they were pulled out the crew assisted with the exterior fire attack. After an additional attempt at an interior it was deemed unsafe, ladder pipe operations were set up. Crews continued to operate for several hours at the scene. Tanker 5 was used in the tanker shuttle and dumped three loads of water to supply the scene. Engine 52 and Tanker 5 operated for approximately 5 hours before returning to quarters.
