Sunday February, 21 2010 @ 04:39:11 Nature: Residential Structure Fire Location: North Avenue Address: Reported as 28388 Cherokee Ave Millsboro, DE 19966 Early Sunday morning, February 21, 2010 at approximately 4:43 a.m., the Indian River, Millsboro, and Lewes fire departments were alerted for a reported working structure fire in the vicinity of 28388 Cherokee Avenue in the Riverdale section of Oak Orchard. Indian River’s Duty Officer, Hayden Klingler, Second Assistant Chief, was immediately appraised prior to leaving his residential location on Cherokee Avenue of a fully involved manufactured home style residence. Duty Officer Klingler immediately identified that a single-wide manufactured home with additions was fully involved as well as the vehicle parked in the front drive. Second Assistant Chief Klingler requested the first responding apparatus to access the incident from Cherokee Avenue and turn left onto North Avenue and pass the residential structure to initiate an aggressive initial fire suppression attack. Engine #80-1 with Chief Steven C. Deery, Jr. arrived and initiated three 1¾ attack lines as well as established a water supply scenario. Tanker 80 was assigned to approach the incident from Wynikako Avenue. Engine #80-3 was required to immediately supply Engine #80-1 with water as was Millsboro Fire Company’s first arriving engine. The remaining emergency response units from Millsboro and Lewes were assigned to initiate a manpower pool for various fire suppression or overhaul tactical assignments with specific instructions to preserve the scene for additional evaluations and investigations. It took firefighters from all departments approximately one hour to bring the blaze under control. While conducting the fire suppression efforts, a victim was located inside the residenctial structure. The victim was pronounced deceased by the Sussex County Paramedics that were on scene. The Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the origin and cause of the fire. The identity of the victim is not known at this time. There were no firefighter or additional civilian injuries at the time of this release. The Lewes, Milton, and Georgetown fire departments were requested to provide in station standby coverage for the fire departments that were operating on scene at the initial structure fire location. Firefighters and investigators from the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Office of the State Medical Examiner, the Delaware State Police are conducting the ongoing investigation to the incident specifics. The Delaware State Fire Police coordinated that all motorists and civilian foot traffic were to avoid the area of the fire scene. The estimated personnel costs (25 members @ Delaware Minimum Wage Rate plus social security costs) and equipment response costs (flat billing rate as determined by FEMA) for these water flow incident are estimated to be $5,845.38 for the incident. The incident response was twenty-five (25) members for 6 hrs. and 33 minutes in-service. Additional information may be found at the following websites: (1) WGMD 92.7 Radio Station – www.wgmd.com UPDATE: EARLY MORNING FIRE IN RIVERDALE LEAVES ONE DEAD (2-21-10) A fire just after 4:30 this morning has left one person dead near Millsboro. Indian River and Millsboro fire crews were called for a fully involved house fire in a mobile home on Wynikako Avenue in Riverdale. While battling the blaze, which took about an hour to bring under control, a victim was found inside the home. The state fire marshal is investigating. (2) Sussex Countian - www.sussexcountian.com http://www.sussexcountian.com/news/x531839878/Fatal-house-fire-in-Oak-Orchard (3) WBOC - www.wboc.com http://www.wboc.com/global/story.asp?s=12019986 (4) The News-Journal - www.delawareonline.com http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100222/NEWS/100222020/1006/NEWS/Man+dies+in+mobile+home+fire+