By Michael Greco
The Hasbrouck Heights (NJ) Fire Department was recently dispatched for a “stove fire,” sometimes regarded as a routine emergency response. The address given was a two-story garden apartment in a courtyard about 400 feet away from the nearest fire hydrant. On arrival, crews heard multiple sounds of gunfire from outside of the apartment and observed smoke showing from front.
As the incident commander (IC), you should have some knowledge of what will happen in this kind of situation. It has been taught that live ammunition will simply explode under fire conditions (like a firecracker) and that it should not be a major projectile, unless you’re dealing with a higher caliber bullet such as a .556 or greater. I have fired multiple guns in my life and immediately could tell this was gunfire.
- Odor Investigations: Avoid the “Routine Response Syndrome”
- Don’t Bet Your Life: The Sin of Complacency
- Thinking Like an Incident Commander
- What is a “Routine” Fire?
I asked myself: If I am hearing gunfire, what else do I not know about this situation? The IC must consider a variety of potential scenarios: Is this a person shooting from inside having a medical episode? If live ammunition is not secured and is out in the open, what else may be unsecured? Is this be a drug lab (read: toxic exposure and hazmat)? Is this a major crime scene? Or is this just simply a weapon left out unsecured? I keep my ammunition in a locked, fireproof case at all times. This instance, however, was located in the storage section at the bottom of the stove with the stove and oven on fire.
It is taught that ammunition will typically explode and remain in place, similar to a firecracker. In this incident, the bullets remained in place but the shells that hold the gunpowder become projectiles within the storage area of the stove. This particular stove was made from aluminum and held the projectiles within the storage area. Each bullet that detonated left a large intrusion into the metal storage door, almost piercing through the door. The door is located at ground level, exactly where firefighters would be crawling in smoke. Metal, wood, and other objects will slow down a projectile, but there is no guarantee.
- Video on Effects of Fire on Stored Ammunition
- Mitigating the Dangers of Ammunition at Fire Incidents
- AMMUNITION FIRES
- Indianapolis Firefighters Deal with Firing Ammo During Structure Fire
On arrival, firefighters heard many rounds of gunfire. The IC immediately called for an all-hands assignment. The first-due engine arrived, secured a water supply, and stretched a 1¾-inch line . We all know about the products of combustion in the fire service, but the products of combustion involving mass quantities of ammunition being detonated include airborne mettalic lead, priming compound residue, which can put you at risk for lead poising. In such instances, self-contained breathing apparatus is a must.
As soon as the gunfire stopped, firefighters conducted horizontal ventilation in conjunction with the water application from first line and primary searches. All members must be on SCBA for the reasons listed and above and on account of other possible unknowns. The lessons learned here are that bullets can indeed become a projectiles–not the bullet itself, but rather its shell, especially with a higher caliber. Never treat any response as routine and always be prepared to protect your firefighters from what they might not know they are entering. As the IC, get the story from witnesses as quickly as possible to transmit the information to incoming units.
Size up the building, look and listen to what is going on, and don’t merely sit inside the climate-controlled vehicle. This craft of ours throws new problems at us from time to time but we can all take our experiences and share them to increase firefighter safety and efficacy at fires.
Michael Greco is a 21-year firefighter and chief of department of the Hasbrouck Heights Volunteer Fire Department. He is also a career firefighter with the Hackensack (NJ) Fire Department and an instructor with Eckert Fire Tactics.
