Fire Chief saves man from burning building

Published April 9, 2010 by Pam Rigaux of The Frederick News Post

Fire Chief Chris Stahley

EMMITSBURG - Vigilant Hose Co. Fire Chief Chris Stahley entered a burning house Thursday afternoon in Emmitsburg. He rescued a man from the blaze at 700 E. Main St.

Stahley said the fire was in his neighborhood. When the call came in about 3:15 p.m., he walked over and saw flames flickering from the roof. "I started banging on the door," Stahley said. "It took a few minutes for someone to come."

Stahley told the man who answered the door, who later identified himself as Vincent Alimo, to get out of the house. Alimo said he was asleep and had no idea there was a fire until Stahley told him. Alimo said he told Stahley that two girls and a woman were in the house.

By that time, two Frederick County Sheriff's Office deputies had arrived, Stahley said. None of them was wearing protective gear. All three entered the smoky house, he said. They searched the house, including the upstairs, Stahley said. Confident no one else was inside, they came out.

By then, heavy fire had spread into the house through a sun porch, said Frank Davis, a Federal Emergency Management Agency official who was in the area and served as a spokesman.

Vigilant Hose Co. and other fire companies arrived and did a second search to confirm no one was inside, Davis said.

Firefighters wore breathing equipment to enter the house, Davis said. The interior firefighting lasted several minutes before the blaze was under control, he said.

The fire was caused by a man who was smoking on top of a porch outside the bedroom, said Marc McNeal, chief fire marshal with the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services. Ashes that were dropped ignited leaves on the porch, he said.

McNeal estimated the damage at between $10,000 and $15,000.

The house is a family residence and a state foster care residence for three adults in their 60s and 70s, he said.

The Maryland Department of Mental Health and Hygiene is arranging temporary housing for the older residents while the house is being repaired, McNeal said.