Tag Archives: Maryland

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Salisbury, MD – Sprinklers contain overnight fire at LaQuinta Inn & Suites; No injuries reported

An early Thursday morning fire at the LaQuinta Inn & Suites in Salisbury forced the evacuation of hundreds of people, authorities said.  According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office, the fire broke out at around 1 a.m. in the kitchen storage area of the hotel, located at 300 S. Salisbury Blvd.

An automatic fire alarm went off and a fire sprinkler activated, according to investigators. It took 20 firefighters from the Salisbury Fire Department approximately half an hour to get the blaze under control. However, authorities said the sprinkler activation contained the fire to the area of origin.

There were no reported injuries. The fire caused an estimated $10,000 in damage to the structure and another $500 in damage to its contents.  Authorities ruled the fire accidental and said it was caused by the spontaneous combustion of dish towels. 

The hotel was at full capacity at the time of the fire with several hundred occupants, according to Salisbury Assistant Fire Chief Bryan Records. Records also mentioned that many of the people at the hotel were there because of the USSSA softball tournament happening in Salisbury this week. Just about everyone evacuated the hotel on their own without any incidents, but Records said firefighters doing a sweep from room to room had to escort a handful of people, and a few dogs, out of the hotel.

Everyone was let back inside the hotel by around 2:30 a.m. Records added that the hotel would not be serving its usual continental breakfast Thursday morning as the kitchen would remain closed until the Health Department could come to expect it.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Laurel, MD – Sprinklers put out fire at assisted living home; residents evacuated safely

Fire broke out Monday in the kitchen of an assisted living facility inside a residential home in Laurel, Md. The Prince George’s Co. fire department said four elderly or disabled people were able to escape unharmed, in part, because the home had a sprinkler system that put out the flames before first responders arrived. Residents could be displaced for weeks. News 4’s Meagan Fitzgerald reports.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Belcamp, MD – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in extinguishing fire at McDonald’s restaurant

A malfunctioning fryer operating system caused a fire in a McDonald’s restaurant in the Belcamp-Riverside area on Sunday afternoon, forcing the restaurant’s temporary closure, fire investigators said. The fire was reported at 4:55 p.m. by employees of McDonald’s No. 12138 in the 1300 block of Riverside Parkway, according to a notice of investigation from the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office.

The Abingdon Volunteer Fire Company responded and brought the fire under control in about 10 minutes, according to the Fire Marshal’s Office. Also responding were units from Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company, Aberdeen Fire Department and Aberdeen Proving Ground, according to the Harford County Volunteer Fire & EMS Association.

“Crews encountered heavy fire on the interior attack,” the association posted on its Facebook page. After containing the fire to the interior of the building, crews continued to check for extension of the fire into walls and ceiling to extinguish hotspots, according to the post.

No injuries were reported, and the restaurant’s smoke alarms and sprinkler system functioned as intended, according to the notice of investigation. Damage is estimated at $5,000 to the structure and $25,000 to the contents, investigators said.  The Harford County Health Department is assisting with reopening procedures, the Fire Marshal’s Office said.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Columbia, MD – Dryer fire in high school locker room contained by sprinkler system

Emergency crews responded to a Howard County school Tuesday morning after a fire broke out in a dryer in the locker room.

According to Howard County Fire and EMS, they were told there was fire in the locker room at Oakland Mills High School around 7:30 a.m.

The fire originated in the dryer and stayed confined to it after the sprinkler system was activated.

Crews put out the fire by 8 a.m.

Unites are currently ventilating the structure, restoring systems and making sure the school is safe for students to return.

No injuries were reported and the fire is under investigation.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Annapolis, MD – No injuries in fire at Extended Stay America hotel controlled by sprinkler system

A fire in an Annapolis hotel room last Tuesday resulted in damage to nearly a dozen rooms, a county fire department spokesman said. Firefighters were dispatched at 6:50 p.m. to the Extended Stay America hotel in the 100 block of Admiral Cochrane Drive.

The hotel’s sprinkler system primarily controlled the fire, a fire spokesman said. It took about 13 minutes to extinguish the blaze. Nine rooms in the hotel sustained smoke and water damage.  Nobody was injured, the spokesman said.

The fire caused an estimated $2,500 worth of damage, said county fire department spokesman Capt. Russ Davies. The fire was ruled accidental.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Abingdon, MD – Sprinkler contains townhouse fire to room of origin

A smoke alarm and sprinkler system helped contain fire in Abingdon last Monday morning, authorities said. An extension cord accidentally sparked a fire Monday morning in Abingdon that displaced four people, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.  A smoke alarm and sprinkler system helped minimize the damage and allow the man who found the fire to escape safely, authorities said.

Two adults and two children lived in the middle-of-the-group townhouse in the 500 block of June Apple Court, the fire marshal reported; all have been displaced. Home alone Monday morning, the boyfriend of one tenant awoke to the sound of the smoke alarm going off and discovered that there was a fire in the second-floor bedroom at 9:56 a.m., officials said.

A sprinkler contained the blaze to that room, according to the fire marshal. Approximately 20 firefighters responded and brought the fire under control within 10 minutes, officials reported.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Leesburg, MD – Townhouse fire held in check by sprinkler system; No injuries

A potentially devastating townhouse fire in Leesburg was held in check by automatic sprinkler system until firefighters arrived.

On March 1 at 11:18 a.m., the Loudoun County Emergency Communications Center received a call for an automatic fire alarm at 19278 Harlow Square. A fire engine from Lansdowne responded. Upon arrival the firefighters met the homeowner, who let them know there was a fire in the garage. The crew requested additional resources, bringing fire and rescue units from Ashburn, Leesburg and Kincora. Firefighters located a small fire in the garage being contained by an automatic sprinkler system. Crews rapidly extinguished the remaining fire and ventilated the residence.

 There were no injuries to public safety personnel or civilians. The Fire Marshal’s Office conducted an investigation and determined the fire to be accidental in nature, causing $25,000 in damages.

“The sprinkler activation was undoubtedly responsible for preventing the fire from spreading into the rest of the home,” said Chief Fire Marshal Linda Hale in a prepared statement. “The damages were limited to an area of the garage and the residents were not displaced because of the early warning and intervention of the fire alarm and sprinkler systems.”

According to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue, home fire sprinklers can contain and may even extinguish a fire in less time than it would take the fire department to arrive on the scene. Installing both working smoke alarms and a fire sprinkler system reduces the risk of death in a home fire by 82 percent.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

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.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

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

Apartment Building, Residential

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.