Jake O’Callaghan/CWN
Slideshow photos by John P. Carroll/CWN
David Curran/Satellite News Service/CWN (used with permission)
DENNIS – There were some scary moments in Dennis when a “mayday” call was issued at a fire scene Monday morning. Firefighters responded to an apartment building at 475 Main Street (Route 28) in West Dennis shortly after 10 AM to find smoke showing from the structure. The “mayday” call was issued after a firefighter reportedly fell through the floor into the basement. The “Rapid Intervention Team” (RIT), a team of firefighters always on standby at fire scenes, was able to rush in and rescue the firefighter from the basement. The firefighter was transported to Cape Cod Hospital but is expected to be okay. A second firefighter suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene. The property is listed as Kenyon Cedar Creek apartments. Because of the large response, traffic on Route 28 was down to one lane in the area and motorists should expect delays and seek alternate routes. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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Statement from Dennis Fire: At 10:14 AM, the Dennis Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 475 Route 28. When Dennis Fire units arrived, they found smoke showing from one of a four-unit apartment complex. Upon entering the unit one firefighter fell through a burnt-out hole in the floor. A Mayday was announced and a request for a Second Alarm was struck. Additional firefighters were able to pry open a rear bulkhead door leading to the basement. The firefighter was able to make his way over to the stairs where he was assisted out of the basement. Moments later a second firefighter slipped in a burnout hole as well and got tangled up in some wires preventing him from going into the basement. One firefighter was transported to Cape Cod Hospital for none life threating injuries while the other was evaluated at the scene.
The two-story wood frame apartment was unoccupied at the time of the fire. The occupant works a night shift and hadn’t returned home yet.
Firefighters stretched three handlines to contain the fire and threw ladders to the second floor for egress.
Dennis fire received assistance from Yarmouth, Harwich, Brewster, Chatham, Hyannis and Orleans at the scene while Centerville Osterville Marston’s Mills and Barnstable covered our stations during the fire.
The State Police assigned to the State’s Fire Marshall’s Office along with members of the ATF were called to investigate the fire. The cause of the fire is undetermined with all indicators pointing towards an electrical problem in the hallway wall. It has been deemed non-suspicious.
