By Miles Layton
HERTFORD — Emergency crews responded Saturday evening to a house fire on Edenton Street near the Grubb Street intersection, where an explosion during the incident injured two firefighters.
After the fire was reported around 5:43 p.m., firefighters from three fire departments worked to extinguish the blaze.
During the incident, an explosion injured two firefighters. Both were transported to Sentara Albemarle Medical Center for treatment, according to Perquimans County Emergency Services. Officials later confirmed that both firefighters were treated and released. Their names have not been released to the media.
No other injuries were reported, and the homeowner was not at the residence at the time of the fire.
The Perquimans County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the incident, including the circumstances surrounding the explosion.
The structure, a wooden residence, appeared to sustain extensive damage, with the interior likely a total loss due to heavy smoke damage. Water from fire hoses was seen coming out of the house’s roof as crews battled heavy smoke. The smell of smoke was noticeable at least 150 yards from the burning structure as firefighters worked in cold conditions, with temperatures hovering in the 30s Saturday evening.
Hertford Assistant Fire Chief Matt Woodell served as incident commander in accordance with established National Incident Management System guidelines.
Sheriff’s Office was on scene assisting with the emergency response, and traffic in the area was rerouted away from Edenton Street to allow crews to work safely.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including the Hertford Fire Department, Winfall Fire Department, Bethel Fire Department, Perquimans County Sheriff’s Office, Perquimans County EMS, Town of Hertford Public Works, and Perquimans County Emergency Management.
Albemarle Observer thanks the firefighters and first responders who battled the blaze on a cold Saturday evening. Support your local fire department.
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3 responses to “Two Firefighters Injured In Explosion During Hertford House Fire”
Why were the two injured firefighters transported to Sentara Albemarle Hospital as opposed to ECU Chowan Hospital?
[…] at the scene, which is still evolving as the fire is being contained — were there any injuries? This question applies to firefighters and the home’s residents, maybe even […]
[…] The two firefighters serving with the Hertford Fire Department were transported by Perquimans County EMS to Sentara Albemarle Medical Center for treatment. Emergency Services officials later confirmed that the injuries were non-life-threatening and that both firefighters were treated and released. […]