7/22/2021 09:33 – Company 25 responded to Ardmore Plaza Shopping Center for a report of a gas smell in several stores.

7/5/2021 00:22 Line of Duty Death

It is with great sorrow that we mourn the passing of a brother in the Lower Merion Fire Department.  While Sean DeMuynck served the citizens with the Penn Wynne/Overbrook Hills Fire Company his passing is felt in the hearts of the firefighters in Ardmore.  Sean’s sacrifice in pursuit of the noble goal of helping his community in the most dangerous of circumstances will never be forgotten, he will be remembered as a hero.  We send our condolences to his wife, family, friends, and all those who knew him.

Below is the official statement:

For Immediate Release Officer-In-Charge: Chief Chas McGarvey
Date and Time of News Release:
July 5, 2021, 11:30 AM

Location: 75 E. Lancaster Avenue

Incident Number: F2117423
Date and Time of Incident: 7/4/2021, 10:33 PM
Location of Incident: Rosedale Road, Penn Wynne
Department Spokesperson: Chief Chas McGarvey
For Further Information Contact: Chief Chas McGarvey
Telephone: 610-645-6190

On July 4 at 10:34 PM, the Lower Merion Fire Department, specifically the Penn
Wynne/Overbrook Hills Fire Company responded to a reported structure fire on Rosedale Road,
Wynnewood, 19096. Upon arrival, units found the structure heavily involved with fire and smoke,
fire suppression began, and incident command was established.

At approx. 11:02 pm a mayday was received; the Rapid Intervention Crew went into service and
Firefighter Sean W. DeMuynck was found on the third floor to be unresponsive. Firefighter
DeMuynck was rescued by the Rapid Intervention Crew and transported to Lankenau Hospital in
Wynnewood via Narberth Ambulance departing the scene at approximately 11:30 pm and arriving at
the Lankenau Hospital emergency department at approximately 11:37 pm.

Sadly, attempts to revive Firefighter Sean W. DeMuynck were unsuccessful, and he was
pronounced deceased at 12:22 am.

Firefighter DeMuynck has faithfully served the citizens of Penn Wynne and Lower Merion
Township as a Volunteer Firefighter since August of 2019. He is survived by his wife and mother
and father. Firefighter DeMuynck and his wife are Canadian and were due to move back home to
rejoin their family today, July 5, 2021. Firefighter DeMuynck will sorely be missed.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time.
All questions and inquiries should be made to Chief Chas McGarvey at
cmcgarvey@lowermerion.org or 610-645-6195.

FOR RELEASE:       Immediate

CONTACT:             Lori Jennings, Public Information Officer

ljennings@lowermerion.org

DATE:                      July 2, 2021

Tesla Fire-Lower Merion Township

        On June 29, 2021, at 8:55 PM, the Merion Fire Company of Ardmore and Gladwyne Fire Companies were dispatched to a vehicle fire at Rose Lane and Avonwood Road in the Haverford section of Lower Merion Township.  It was later reported to be a Tesla on fire on the 100 block of Rose Lane.  Police arrived first and confirmed a fully involved vehicle on fire.  Due to the amount of fire and type of vehicle involved, the incident commander requested additional apparatus dispatched to the location from both the Merion Fire Company of Ardmore and the Gladwyne Fire Company.  Due to the heat and humidity, an ambulance, as well as the Rehab Unit from Narberth Ambulance, were also requested to respond.

Tesla is an electric vehicle with the entire floor pan full of over 7,000 batteries that energize the vehicle.  Special precautions were taken to extinguish the fire.  Two supply lines were laid, and firefighters used two 1 ¾” handlines, and copious amounts of water were poured on the vehicle for over 2 hours in order to extinguish the fire and render the scene safe.

In accordance with the Tesla First Responder Guide, the First Responder cut loop was cut in two separate sections utilizing insulated wire cutters.  Due to possible reignition issues because of the energized batteries, the vehicle was towed to the Lower Merion Township Public Works Koegel complex followed by an Engine so it could be safely stored in an open area, in case of possible reignition.  Lower Merion Police Department also perform extra patrols of the area where the vehicle was being stored overnight.

There were no firefighter injuries reported.  All fire company units went available at 11:30 PM and the Fire Marshal’s Office along with the last Engine went available at 12:08 AM.

At this time the cause of the fire is undetermined, and the investigation remains open.

Any inquiries should be sent to Lower Merion Fire Chief, Charles McGarvey, at 610-645-6195 or at cmcgarvey@lowermerion.org