News

At 0028 hours on Saturday Morning 3/29/03 the Millville Vol. Fire Co. was dispatched to an automatic fire alarm at the Old Mill Crab House on Cedar Neck Road, Ocean View. Initial reports were that a heat detector in the kitchen area had activated with no further details. On arrival of 3rd Assistant Chief Shawn Evans at 0031 he reported no fire evident on the exterior of three sides. Almost immediately after his arrival fire caused an exterior window to blow out, issuing heavy fire from the kitchen area. Chief Evans immediately upgraded the call to a "working fire" and requested a second alarm, which brought the Bethany Beach VFC to the scene, Dagsboro VFC as a Rapid Intervention Team and also the Frankford and Roxana VFC's to cover the Millville Station. Millville's first engine arrived at 0032 and placed a handline in service through the kitchen window while other crew members forced entry through an exterior steel door. Crew then made an interior attack and the fire was extinguished. Due to the extreme heat and thick smoke on the interior to the building, Crews from Truck 84 opened up the roof with a ventilation hole which allowed for the superheated gases and smoke to exit the building. Crews from Millville and Bethany Beach provided overhaul by pulling down the false ceiling and checking for fire extension in the surrounding walls and occupancies. The fire was placed under control at 0108hours with crews remaining on scene until 0245 providing clean up and assisting the state fire marshals office. There were no injuries. Over 50 firefighters were on scene from the various companies. The cause of the fire in under investigation by the Delaware State Fire Marshals Office. Units Responding To Scene: Engine 84-2, Truck 84, Rescue 84, Ambulance B-84, Engine 84-1, Engine 84-4, Quint 70, Engine 70-3, Utility 70, Tanker 84, Rescue 73, Engine 73-1, DSFP, And Medic 105. Units On Stand-by: Engine 16 (Ocean City), Engine 90-1 (Roxanna), Engine 76 (Frankford) Graig Temple, 2nd Assistant Chief/PIO