On Tuesday July 18, 2023 at 2146 hours we were alerted for a commercial building fire in the auto parts store at Reisterstown Road and Cherry Hill Road. Engine 413, Squad 414, and Engine 412 responded on the first alarm. First arriving Engine 56 found heavy smoke showing from the Advance Auto Parts store in Reisterstown Shopping Center. Engine 56 immediately called for the second alarm.  Crews began an interior attack.

Around 2210 hours a Mayday was called after a ceiling collapsed, trapping a firefighter. The Rapid Intervention Team found the trapped firefighter and assisted them out of the structure.  The firefighter was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. The third alarm was automatically dispatched because of the Mayday. 

The Baltimore County Police Department Fire Investigation Division is investigating the cause of the fire and one individual was taken into custody at the scene of the incident. 

Reisterstown units were on the scene for 5 hours on Tuesday night. Engine 56, Engine 412 and Squad 414 returned Wednesday evening for 6 more hours to put out hot spots in multiple layers of roofing materials. 

Station 41 was dispatched for an MVC of a car into a truck. S414 arrived to find a car had gone under the sign and hit a food truck. Firefighters assessed the patients and vehicles.

Yesterday afternoon Butler Volunteers, Reisterstown and the Baltimore County USAR team were alerted for a horse rescue. A horse had fallen down a slight embankment into a spring and was not able to get up. S414 and two units from Butler arrived and assessed the situation. Given the size of the horse and the need to be careful we awaited the county USAR team as we would have more people and equipment for the rescue. When they arrived we were able to get large straps under the horse’s belly and use a tractor to very carefully lift and pull the horse from the spring. Once it was on more stable ground it was able to get up. The horse was uninjured and walked away to eat some grass.