Tag Archives: Maryland

Waldorf, MD – Overnight fire at Marriott Courtyard hotel put out by sprinkler system; No injuries

A small fire caused an estimated $10,000 in damages to the interior of the Courtyard by Marriott in Waldorf around 2:03 a.m. today. The 3 story hotel is located at 3145 Crain Highway, Waldorf.

A hotel employee was alerted by the fire alarm. The sprinkler system activated and extinguished the fire.  The one alarm fire involved 40 firefighters from the Waldorf VFD and took approximately 5 minutes to bring under control.

There were no injuries or deaths.

Lexington Park, MD – Fire at senior apartment building suppressed by sprinkler system

Deputy State Fire Marshals investigated a room and contents fire today at the Lexington Park Senior Apartments located at 21895 Pegg Road in Lexington Park.

The 72-year-old female occupant in Apartment 119 awoke to a small fire on her bed at approximately 11:30 a.m. this morning. As she evacuated the bedroom the fire grew large enough to activate the smoke detection system and the fire sprinkler located inside her room. As a result of the quick acting fire sprinkler, fire damage was contained to the bedroom and the estimated loss was limited to $1,500. The victim received mild smoke inhalation injuries and was treated and released at the scene.

Nearly 15 firefighters responded from Bay District, Hollywood and Patuxent River Fire Departments and placed the situation under control within one minute after arrival. Investigators determined the fire was caused by discarded smoking materials. No other injuries were reported during the incident. The victim is being relocated temporarily while the apartment is properly cleaned

Chevy Chase, MD – Sprinkler system holds high rise apartment fire in check

Dozens of Montgomery County firefighters responded to the blaze at the Willard Apartments at 4701 Willard Avenue.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Spokesperson Pete Piringer said the fire originated on the 16th floor of the high rise building.

According to Piringer, hundreds of residents were evacuated and some residents with mobility issues had to be assisted out of the building by firefighters.

A sprinkler system held the fire in check until firefighters could put 14the blaze out, Piringer said.

The fire originated in the sunroom of a 16th floor apartment and damages are estimated at $25,000, according to Piringer. He said the fire was electrical in nature and the cause was related to an extension cord.

Two residents were transported to a local hospital for exposure to the fire and smoke. Their injuries are not life threatening, Piringer said.

According to Piringer, the fire has displaced six residents from their homes.

Bel Air, MD – Fire that started in ductwork controlled with help from sprinklers

One person was injured in an electrical fire at an industrial building in Belcamp Tuesday, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

The fire began at 11:54 a.m. in the ductwork at Böttcher Systems in the 4600 block of Mercedes Drive, according to the report.

An employee and alarm monitoring company discovered the blaze, which began in the exhaust duct, ignited rubber millings, then spread, according to the report, which said a spark detector inside the duct failed to extinguish the millings. The fire was ruled accidental.

The 50-year-old employee who found the fire tried to extinguish it and as a result, he sustained a first-degree burn to his finger, the fire marshal reported. He was treated and released at the scene, the report said.

After the fire and sprinkler systems activated, it took 30 firefighters from Abingdon, Joppa-Magnolia, Aberdeen and Bel Air approximately 15 minutes to bring it under control, the report said.

There was $5,000 in damage to items inside the building, according to the fire marshal.

Perryville, MD – Sprinklers credited with quelling blaze in senior community building

Investigators are crediting a residential sprinkler system for quickly extinguishing a kitchen fire inside one of the 92 units at a four-story senior community building in Perryville on Monday morning, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Ocean City, MD – Sprinklers praised for stopping fire at town’s Service Center Warehouse

Fire sprinklers in an Ocean City building are attributed to a quickly put out fire last week.

Around 1:30 a.m. Nov. 22, the Ocean City Fire Department was dispatched to an automatic fire alarm at the town’s Service Center Warehouse on 65th Street, according to a press release.

“By these two fire sprinklers activating, city ambulances, police cars, busses, street sweepers, and other essential equipment was saved,” Fire Marshal David W. Hartley said in the release. “This example shows the huge impact sprinklers have not just in a home, but also in reducing the average loss of property during a fire in a commercial structure.”

When firefighters arrived, they found the 12,000 square foot vehicle garage filled with smoke. The call for service was upgraded to a building fire, according to the release, which brought additional fire and EMS resources.

Firefighters found two sprinkler heads that were activated extinguished the fire before the department was dispatched.

On-scene investigation showed the fire started due to a machine malfunction and was classified accidental. The building was unoccupied at the time of the fire.

Baltimore, MD – Fire at peanut roasting company suppressed by sprinkler system; Allergy concerns alleviated

A late-morning fire at a Barcelona Nut Co. warehouse in Southwest Baltimore was quickly extinguished Tuesday, but city emergency officials were concerned enough to warn residents near the 500 block of Fulton Ave. who had nut allergies.

“Although we were unclear as to the amount of peanuts burning, we felt that it was worth a warning out of an abundance of caution,” said Connor Scott, spokesman for the city’s Office of Emergency Management.

In the end, there was probably little risk, said Dr. Robert Wood, director of pediatric allergy and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. He said those allergic to peanuts would have to be in proximity to suffer a reaction.

“If you were just roasting peanuts you’d have to be within feet of the roasting, in the building,” Wood said. “In a fire, where there were larger volumes being burned, I supposed you’d be at risk within 40-50 yards, but that would probably be the extreme.”

The peanut dust would dissipate quickly in the air, he said, adding that no one has studied if burnt peanuts would pose more of a threat than roasted ones.

The fire did burn peanuts, which were in a roaster in the plant, confirmed Ed Roush, Barcelona’s quality manager. He said workers also vented the smoke during the fire, which was largely extinguished by the facility’s sprinkler system before fire crews arrived.

The firm’s employees were more at risk from the fire; three suffered non-life-threatening injuries — likely smoke-related — trying to put it out, Roush said. He and fire officials didn’t know what caused the fire, but Roush said he hopes to reopen the facility by Thursday or Friday.

The company, founded in 1924 by a Spanish immigrant, has been in the current location since 1986. It roasts and packages several kinds of nuts at the plant, which also packages other snack foods.

Longtime neighbors said they didn’t see much smoke and weren’t concerned about the peanuts, and didn’t know anyone close by with an allergy. Nancy Will, who once worked in the building, said it’s not often they even get a whiff of nuts, which is a far cry from years past when peanut oil would coat their cars.

“You’d turn the windshield wipers on and get a nice smear,” said her husband, Robert Wills, who was sitting on the steps of his Fulton Street house across from Barcelona.

Hagerstown, MD – Single sprinkler extinguishes residential kitchen fire

No one was injured during a minor kitchen fire Thursday afternoon on Hagerstown’s North End, according to City Fire Marshal Doug DeHaven.

The fire was reported at 1:30 p.m. in the 17600 block of Potter Bell Way in the Hager’s Crossing development, DeHaven said in a news release.

Capitol Heights, MD – Sprinkler system helps extinguish potential arson fire at Family Dollar store

Prince George’s County authorities are seeking the community’s assistance in identifying a man they believed started a fire in a local Family Dollar store.  The fire occurred at 1:23 p.m. Saturday in Capitol Heights, Maryland.

Onlookers say they saw a man set combustible materials on fire to cover up a theft. The fire was quickly contained by a store sprinkler and an employee dispensing a fire extinguisher.  The total loss is estimated at $2,500. No injuries were reported.

Owings Mills, MD – Sprinkler system extinguishes arson fire after domestic dispute

A teacher’s aide from Washington, D.C., has been charged with throwing gasoline on her boyfriend and setting his home on fire, Baltimore County Police said Tuesday. Officers were called to the home in the 10800 block of Sherwood Road in Owings Mills just before 5 p.m. Sunday for a report of a domestic situation. While en route, they learned that the home was on fire.

The victim told police that his girlfriend, 29-year-old Lisa Lashell Finley had assaulted him that morning while she was intoxicated, according to court documents. When she went back to his home, he told her he wanted to end their relationship of about two years and told her she could gather her things while he waited in the basement.

He smelled gas and went upstairs to find the stove on but no fire. Finley then threw gasoline on him, according to court documents. Holding a lighter and a can of hairspray, she allegedly threatened to kill him. Police say the man left the home. But when he returned, he found a fire burning inside. A sprinkler system extinguished the fire.

Finley later turned herself in at the Franklin Precinct Monday afternoon. She has been charged with attempted first degree murder, first degree arson and first degree assault. Finley is an educational aide at Anacostia High School, an official with D.C. Public Schools confirmed. She was hired in Oct. 2013. Her current employment status is not known at this time.