By Taylor Boyd
A 3-year-old girl died, and a man is in critical condition following a mobile home fire in the Patrick Springs area on Thursday, Feb. 19.
Patrick Springs Volunteer Fire Department Deputy Chief Clint Weidhaas said the department was dispatched to a working structure fire at 7:46 a.m. at 65 Bowling Drive off 1st Southern Drive.
While several members were attempting to leave the station to respond to the fire, Weidhaas said a car pulled in, blocking the firetruck from leaving.
“The mother gets out of her car with the three-year-old that was burned severely from the fire. She had fled the scene with the child to seek help. She stopped at the firehouse because we’re the fire department,” he said.
Weidhaas and Assistant Chief Ross Adams arrived shortly after the mother did.
“I would describe the situation as a very polarizing, traumatic situation that was unfolding within our firehouse. It definitely stunned our newer guys that were in the firehouse trying to respond to the fire,” he said.
Weidhaas said firefighters were able to get the truck en route to the fire while he and Adams stayed behind to render care to the child and mother.
“Burn injuries are very severe. The only time you can really do anything for a burn patient is when you get them to a hospital, and they start the burn care,” he said.
Once on scene, Patrick Springs notified dispatch of a second burn victim, the father, and requested emergency medical services and a helicopter.
“The hospital EMS arrived at the fire station within a couple of minutes after the engine’s departure from the station. Ross and I assisted the patient with getting into the hospital unit, and they immediately transported her to the hospital to try to stabilize her,” he said.
Weidhaas and Adams then responded with a tanker to the scene.
Once there, Weidhaas said he was informed of some confusion as to where the other children were.
Noting that most people would consider it a defensive fire, where firefighters stay outside to extinguish the blaze, Weidhaas said the department entered the mobile home because they feared other victims were still inside.
“There were seven interior firemen fighting the fire and doing a search. The trailer was fully involved. When the engine arrived, we found a fully involved mobile home,” he said.
However, Weidhaas said the three older children had gotten out safely, and the youngest, a 2-month-old baby, was at her grandmother’s home.
The fire was under control within 25 minutes. Fifteen firefighters were on scene.
Moorefield Store Volunteer Fire Department responded with two personnel and two tankers; Patrick Henry Volunteer Fire Department responded with one tanker and two personnel; Fairystone Volunteer Fire Department had one tanker and three personnel on scene; Stuart Volunteer Fire Department had one engine and two personnel; and Patrick Springs had six personnel, an engine, and a tanker.
Weidhaas said the incident was a very traumatic situation for all first responders.
“Everybody did an outstanding job as far as trying to handle the situation for the circumstances. It was very taxing and stressful on the first responders, and we need to keep everybody in prayer as well as the family for their loss,” he said.
Weidhaas said the child was flown to the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Burn Center from Stuart Community Hospital.
“I think it was determined there that the baby was not going to be able to make it, and they decided at some point and time in the late afternoon and into the evening that they were going to have to end life support measures and let her go because of the severity of her injuries,” he said.
In his 27 years of firefighting and 10 years with the Virginia State Police, Weidhaas said he has never seen anything that serious.
“I mean we go to traumatic situations all the time, but this was worse because there was a kid involved. A lot of us here have kids, and your heart just breaks, you know,” Weidhaas said, tearing up.
The Henry family is currently staying at The Penny House in Patrick Springs.
A GoFundMe titled “Support for Family After Devastating House Fire” has raised $24,015 from 226 donations as of the morning of Feb. 23.
Donations can also be dropped off at The House at D&W Lane in Patrick Springs after 2 p.m. or at 83 VFW Road in Patrick Springs.
