20 fire departments put out blaze that hurt 3 firefighters, scorched 6-10 acres in Ashtabula County

ANDOVER, Ohio (WOIO) - Twenty fire departments helped extinguish the flames that burned 6-10 acres in Ashtabula County from an open fire from a saw mill operation, the Andover Volunteer Fire Department confirmed, causing three firefighters to suffer injuries.

The Andover and Wayne fire departments were dispatched to the open burn at approximately 5:53 p.m. on May 31, according to AVFD.

First responders arrived to find a portable saw mill operation with a fire burning in the clear cut woods around the sawmill, AVFD said.

The first units on scene removed equipment from the hazard area while multiple departments with UTVs and manpower were called in, according to AVFD.

AVFD confirmed 20 total departments were utilized for this incident.

Efforts to suppress the flames were hindered by the fire being approximately two miles away from any road, said AVFD.

AVFD said approximately 6-10 acres burned.

The units worked on scene for about five hours, plus had to put in extensive time cleaning up to get the equipment ready for the next emergency, according to AVFD.

“We contained the fire while having to leave a slab pile and sawdust pile burning after clearing the incident due to not being able to have adequate water supply available at the location,” AVFD stated.

AVFD confirmed three firefighters suffered minor injuries.

The first firefighter was struck by a tree and suffered facial lacerations when a UTV fell into a rut, so Pierpont EMS took him to the emergency room, AVFD stated.

The second firefighter suffered chest pains and was taken to the emergency room and treated for CO2 poisoning, according to AVFD.

The third firefighter suffered heat exhaustion and was treated by medical personnel on scene, AVFD said.

AVFD confirmed all three firefighters returned home and “are doing well.”

Here’s the list of departments involved shared by AVFD:

Ashtabula County

Andover
Holiday Campland
Wayne
Rome
Hartsgrove
Orwell
Jefferson
Dorset
Pierpont
Windsor

Trumbull County

Mespo
Bloomfield
Kinsman
Gustavus
Johnson
Burghill/Vernon

Crawford County

North Shenango
Fallowfield
Linesville

ADVF mentioned Windsor Fire filled in at their station and Linesville Fire had a engine at the Andover Volunteer Fire Department station.

“We would like to thank all departments for their assistance,” AVFD stated. “We would also like to thank Andover Pizza Joes for cooking our pizza and donating soda, chips, plates, cups and napkins, while also discounting 13 pizzas. Andover Family Dollar for their donation of cases of water.”

The Andover Volunteer Fire Department shared these photos of the scene: