Shit. They were sending everything we had. This was no small fire.
“Meet me there,” I practically yelled. “You need to take Vincent.”
“Done,” Josh said. “I’ll be there in five.”
There was a good chance the fire was nowhere near Evie, since the campus was spread out and consisted of several buildings, but I wasn’t going to risk it.
My heart hammered as I maneuvered the country roads, keeping to the speed limit, conscious of my sleeping baby boy in the back seat.
“Two-story corporate office building,” Dispatch explained. “Production facility is separate but attached. High secondary fire risk.”
Shit. The sugar in the production facility was extremely combustible. If the fire spread, this could be catastrophic.
I pulled into the parking lot and parked far from the chaos. The engine was positioned near the hydrant, and Walters was already dragging the attack lines into position. The Birch Hollow ambulance was here, along with ours, meaning they’d already called in reinforcements.
With a deep breath in, I pushed my door open and strode to the trunk, where I pulled out my personal turnout gear. I had the basics on me at all times. Every rural first responder did.
I was still getting dressed when Josh jogged over.
“The employees are gathering on the west side,” he said, ducking into the car to unlatch Vincent’s seat.
“You got him?” I asked, zipping up my turnout coat.
He nodded. “We’ll stay back. I’ll keep him safe.”
With a nod, I plucked my boots out of the trunk. I set them up so I could step in, making a mental note to grab a spare SCBA off the engine.
Gloves and helmet on, flashlight and Halligan tool ready, I slammed my trunk.
“Be careful,” Josh warned.
“You know me.” I backed away, giving him a grin. “I’m never careful.”
Chief, who was already wearing her orange incident commander vest and was barking instructions into the radio, had established a command post. I fixed my own radio to my shoulder and turned it to our channel as I scanned the sea of people, searching for Evie.
“Lawrence,” Chief yelled when I approached. “You’re off shift. Stand down.”
Ignoring her, I headed for the storage compartment on the engine and plucked a SCBA out.
“The interior teams are making a sweep,” she said.
I searched the crowd of people on the west side of the building again. Still no Evie. “Are those all the employees?” I asked.
Chief glared at me. “Yes. The manufacturing plant evacuated to the south parking lot. But those are the office employees. All accounted for except one female.”
Stomach sinking, I strode toward the crowd, studying every face.
“I told you,” Chief called. “Team two is doing a sweep.”
I shook my head. I couldn’t stop until I laid eyes on her. When I caught sight of Gerry, I headed straight for him. He was annoying at work, according to Evie, but he was a decent poker player.
“Where is she?” I asked as I approached.
Shaking, he blinked at me. “Evie? Not sure. After our team meeting, she left. Said she’d be back. But then the smoke alarms went off.”
My brain whirled. She left? To go where? Her car was over by the Birch Hollow ambulance, so I couldn’t imagine she’d left the facility completely.
It hit me then. She was pumping. In the windowless closet with the door that sticks.
