Fort Walker Fire Responds to Four Alarm Inferno on Interstate 95, assists with separate incident on return to installation, highlighting the value of Mutual Aid Agreements

Ruther Glen Va. - The Fort Walker Fire Department responded to a four-alarm fire this morning under the installation's Mutual Aid Agreement with the local community. The mutual aid call came in at 6:29 a.m., for a vehicle fire at mile marker 107 on Interstate-95. After ensuring that training or safety on Fort Walker would not be impacted, seven firefighters rapidly deployed with an engine and a tanker to assist the Caroline County Fire Department.

Upon arrival at the scene, Fort Walker's firefighters quickly realized the magnitude of the incident, involving two tractor-trailers and three passenger vehicles fully engulfed in flames in excess of 20 feet.

The intensity of the blaze necessitated the dispatch of two additional departments from Hanover County and Spotsylvania County to assist, which elevated the scale of the emergency to a four-alarm fire. Fort Walker's team was assigned specifically to the tractor-trailers, comprised of a roll away garbage semi and a parcel carrier.

All four units had the fire fully under control shortly before 10 a.m. Despite the level of response required and destruction of vehicles, there were no casualties among drivers, passengers, or emergency responders.

Fort Walker's Engine 8 departed the scene at 9:45 a.m., Tanker 9 remained on scene for additional support. Tanker 9 cleared the accident scene at 10:28 a.m. while Caroline authorities, the Virginia Highway Patrol and Virginia Department of Transportation worked to clear the vehicles and debris from the highway. On the return trip to the installation, Engine 8 encountered a motor-vehicle accident which had just occurred, involving a tractor trailer rear-ending a passenger vehicle. The firefighters, though not responsible for accidents off post, as initial responders stopped and established an incident command, rendering aid to the injured passengers until Caroline County Emergency Services arrived on the scene. One driver was transferred by ambulance to Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center.

"Our team worked hard, and they worked well," said Captain Josh McCue of the Fort Walker Fire Department. "It was great to see how we could all work side by side with firefighters from other departments and be so efficient together."

Fort Walker Garrison Commander Lt. Col. Matt Bauer stated this was a perfect example of the vital role that Mutual Aid Agreements play in strengthening the enduring partnerships that Army installations have with their community partners. "Through the Mutual Aid Agreement with Caroline County, Fort Walker provides redundancy to the local community's emergency response. Caroline County reciprocates the same capability to Fort Walker, enhancing our collective capabilities, as evidenced by Caroline County's participation in our recent Integrated Protection Exercise. The interoperability is key to not just ensuring the safety and security of Fort Walker, but the community as a whole.", said Bauer.