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‘Without the protection of hoselines': Mass. FFs rescue person trapped in burning house

Agawam firefighters entered a heavily burning home on Juniper Ridge Drive to rescue an older man before bringing the fire under control

By Susannah Sudborough
masslive.com

AGAWAM, Mass. — A firefighter was hospitalized Tuesday afternoon after crews rescued a man from a fire at a large home in Agawam, according to fire officials.

Firefighters responded to the fire on Juniper Ridge Drive shortly after 2:40 p.m. on March 31, the Agawam Fire Department said in a Facebook post. A second alarm was called while firefighters were traveling to the scene due to initial reports that indicated heavy fire and that a person was trapped inside.

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Firefighters found the house engulfed in flames, the fire department said. Neighbors at the scene indicated that a resident hadn’t managed to escape the home.

Firefighters entered the home without the protection of hose lines and rescued an older man, the fire department said. With the help of crews from four other fire departments, firefighters got the fire under control in approximately 30 minutes.

One firefighter was taken to a hospital with injuries but was in stable condition as of Tuesday night, the firefighter department said. No one else was injured, but the home is considered a total loss.

“The Agawam Fire Department is grateful for the support of our mutual aid partners,” the department wrote. “Our thoughts are with the family affected by this devastating loss.”

State and local fire investigators were still determining the cause of the fire as of Tuesday night, the fire department said.

What is your department’s SOP for searching without or ahead of a hoseline?



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