Lewes Fire Department burns down house, eyesore on Route 24

All in the name of training, more than 30 Lewes and other local firefighters participated in a controlled house burn Dec. 27.

The burn was a rare planned activity that has been nearly two months in the works, said Lewes Fire Chief Gordon Davis in a Dec. 28 email.

“These opportunities are some of the most valuable training opportunities for local responders,” wrote Davis. “Many of the training evolutions conducted can not be simulated at firefighter training centers or with firefighting training props.”

The house, located on Route 24 across from Conley’s United Methodist Church, had been abandoned for years. Davis said property owners occasionally offer a house slated for demolition to the local fire department to use for training.

“Normally, we are only offered a few local structures a year,” said Davis. “Unfortunately, many of these structures are in too poor of condition to use for training.”

Davis said the structures unsuitable for actual fire conditions can still be used for practicing ventilation openings in roofs, portable ladder placement, civilian and downed firefighter rescue techniques, and structural collapse rescue.

Training was conducted from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., which included cleanup. Davis said the training was divided into two phases – interior operations and the controlled burn of the structure.

Interested property owners should contact their local fire department for details about controlled house burns. Davis said there is an extensive state and federal application process through the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the United States Environmental Protection Agency that must be completed prior to demolition of a structure. The structure must be free of asbestos, all utilities disconnected and removed, and must have some value for firefighting instruction, he said.