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Fire damages Va. rescue squad’s station, ambulances

A passerby spotted one of the Ashland Rescue Squad ambulances burning inside the station and called 911

ASHLAND, Va. — The Ashland Volunteer Rescue Squad suffered extensive damage in a fire on Feb. 28, involving three ambulances.

Hanover Fire and EMS Public Information Officer John Cundiff said a passerby noticed an ambulance on fire inside the apparatus bay and immediately called 911, WTVR reported.

“Within three minutes, the first arriving engine showed up and confirmed we had three ambulances on fire within the building,” Cundiff said. “They immediately went into fire attack mode and were able to mark the situation under control within 45 minutes.”

Cundiff said the building also houses quick response vehicles, transport units and ATVs the squad uses for special events in town.

The operational side of the building, which includes sleeping areas and offices, appeared not to be damaged. No one was working inside the squad at the time of the fire.

Cundiff said Hanover Fire and EMS have crews on standby in case of an emergency in Ashland.

“We do have units that were a complete loss inside the building. But we want to make sure the citizens know we have already deployed other assets in the country so service delivery to our Ashland residents is not going to be impacted by this fire,” he said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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Bill Carey is the associate editor for FireRescue1.com and EMS1.com. A former Maryland volunteer firefighter, sergeant, and lieutenant, Bill has written for several fire service publications and platforms. His work on firefighter behavioral health garnered a 2014 Neal Award nomination. His ongoing research and writings about line-of-duty death data is frequently cited in articles, presentations, and trainings. Have a news tip? He can be reached at news@lexipol.com.