Questions arose about the timeline of the calls to Floyd County 911, for the structure fire at 4111 Andrew Dr. Floyds Knobs, In., and the arrival of the first apparatus From Lafayette Township Fire Protection District (LTFPD).
LTFPD conducted a review of those calls to 911 and the Floyd County Sheriff’s administration line (Non-emergency phone number).
Below is the transcript of the call from the homeowner (caller #5), the findings of the review, and an updated explanation of the fire investigation.
4111 Andrew Drive
Timeline of Events
July 3, 2018
(Including 911 Calls Received, Calls on Non-emergency Number Received, and FD Time Mark Documentation)
Calls Received to 911
Caller # Call Place To Time of Call Who Called Address of Caller Call Duration
Caller #1 Cell Call to 911 23:03:50 Neighbor 4109 Andrew Drive Duration 1:24
Caller #2 Cell Call to 911 23:04:39 Neighbor 4344 Countryview Drive Duration 0:47
Caller #3 Cell Call to 911 23:05:33 Neighbor Driving in Neighborhood Duration 0:59
Calls Received to Non-Emergency Number
Caller # Call Place To Time of Call Who Called Address of Caller Call Duration
Caller #4 Cell Call to 23:06:33 Homeowner 4111 Andrew Drive Duration 0:10
Non-Emergency Disconnected
Caller #5 Cell Call to 23:06:58 Homeowner 4111 Andrew Drive Duration 0:28
Non-Emergency
Transcript for Caller #5:
Dispatch: Floyd County Sheriff’s Department
Homeowner: Hi ma’am I’m trying to get us the fire department, my house is on fire.
Dispatch: Ok, what’s your address because we are actually trying to figure that out?
Homeowner: 4111 Andrew Drive
Dispatch: 4111 Andrew Drive
Homeowner: Yeah
Dispatch: 4111 Andrew Drive, OK, we’ve already dispatched them but we didn’t know the address
Homeowner: Ok, everyone is outside in front of the house
Dispatch: Is everyone out
Homeowner: Everyone is outside in front of the house, the house is ablaze
Dispatch: Thank You
Homeowner: Uh huh
Dispatch: Bye Bye
Time Event
23:07:40 Fire Departments Dispatched
23:08:42 Lafayette Quad 11 Responded
23:12:40 Lafayette Quad 11 On-scene
Total time from first call reporting fire until fire department dispatched 3 Minutes 50 seconds (3:50)
Total time from Dispatch to First Unit (Lafayette Quad 11) arrival on-scene 5 Minutes and 0 Seconds (5:00)
Time Delay Investigation:
After further investigation in regards to a time delay, we have found that there was no delay in being dispatched and that we were dispatched per common practice of the Floyd County Sheriff’s Department which handle all 911 calls for Floyd County.
Fire Investigation:
After conducting a Fire Investigation, we have determined that the Homeowner had shot off fireworks earlier that night and afterwards doused all spent fireworks with water. The homeowner then took all spent fireworks and discarded them into a plastic trash can outside the home next to the garage man door. Later that night, neighbors noticed the garage on fire and rushed to assist. Everyone evacuated the structure unharmed. LTFPD Assistant Chief of Fire Investigations David Schickel determined the area of origin was in the area of the trash cans outside the garage and the only source of ignition in that area was determined to be spent fireworks. It is highly possible that there was a hot ember still inside a spent firework that once discarded continued to burn until all of the contents contained in the plastic trash cans ignited. The fire grew to the point it heated up the eve material of the house and made its way into the attic unbeknown to the home owner who was inside. The homeowner did see some smoke and was trying to figure out where it was coming from but by this time the house was well involved.
