2010-09-11

Off-duty firefighter saves two men from duplex fire

WOODSTOCK, VA – An off-duty firefighter from Maryland alerted two men to a fire in their duplex apartment on Saturday, Sept. 11, in Woodstock, Va. Both men escaped unhurt.

Captain James Jiron, of Prince Georges County Fire/EMS, was at a family celebration across the street from 214 Dingledine Street when he stepped outside and noticed black smoke near the back of an apartment building. He yelled to family members to call 911 and then he and his father-in-law began looking for a hose.

Jiron went in the front door of the apartment, yelling that he was with the fire department. He found one man asleep on a couch on the first floor. A second man was upstairs, and Jiron warned him of the fire as well. Both men escaped without injuries. As the fire continued to burn, Jiron turned a table on its end and moved it against a doorway to slow the fire’s spread.

Meanwhile, Jiron’s father-in-law sprayed a fire extinguisher on the flames. A brush fire truck from the Virginia Department of Forestry was in the area, and its water supply kept the fire getting worse until the Woodstock Fire Department arrived.

“Jiron’s attentiveness, training and quick action prevented serious injuries and possibly saved lives today,” said John Collins, public information officer for Shenandoah County Department of Fire and Rescue.

While the building did have smoke detectors, they were not working.

“Of course, we always want to remind people to have smoke detectors on every level of their house, in their bedrooms and hallways,” Collins said. “And if you have smoke detectors, be sure that they’re working and that they have fresh batteries.”

A total of six people reside at the address. The Red Cross is assisting them with temporary housing.

The Shenandoah County fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.

Responding to the 3:15 p.m. call were Woodstock Fire Department, Toms Brook Volunteer Fire Department, Edinburg Volunteer Fire Company, Woodstock Volunteer Rescue Squad, and Shenandoah County Department of Fire and Rescue.