MEDIA CONTACT: Mark E. Brady, Chief Spokesperson, 240-508-7930
Firefighters battled home fires late last night and early this morning. There was another fire that occurred yesterday that was extinguished by a residential sprinkler system and required little intervention by firefighters.
At around 7:30 pm, Thursday, November 17, 2011, Firefighter/Medics were dispatched to a fire in a townhouse in the 1000 block of Karen Boulevard in Seat Pleasant. Firefighters arrived to find a 2-story townhouse with a fire inside that had been extinguished by an activated residential sprinkler system. Firefighters ensured the fire was completely extinguished. Damage caused by the accidental fire was limited to $2,000 and firefighters were not forced to place themselves in harms way by having to battle the fire.
Later, firefighters battled two homes that did not have residential sprinklers. Just after 11:00 pm, firefighters arrived to a 2-story single-family home in the 700 block of 59th Avenue in Fairmount Heights with heavy fire coming from the 1st floor. Crews entered the burning structure and battled the blaze for about 15 minutes to knock the fire down. All searches proved negative and it appears the house is unoccupied. Fire Investigators have initiated a search for the cause of the fire that remains under investigation. Fire loss is estimated at $40,000. No injuries were reported.
At 12:40 am, Friday, November 18, 2011, firefighters responded to a house fire in the 1400 block of 1st Street in Glenarden. Fire/EMS units arrived to find fire throughout the 1-story single family home. It required about 15 minutes to knock the fire down. No injuries were reported and the family will be displaced. The cause of the fire is under investigation and fire loss is estimated at $80,000.
The comparison of these incidents clearly illustrates the advantages of a residential sprinkler system. The most effective fire loss prevention and reduction measure for both life and property is the installation and maintenance of home fire sprinklers. Fire sprinkler systems offer the optimum level of fire safety because they control the fire immediately in the room of origin, help limit the spread of fire, and often extinguish it before the fire department arrives. All residential structures built after January 1, 1992, in Prince George’s County were required to have home sprinklers. Since then, there has never been a death reported in a home with a home sprinkler system in the County. For additional information on the success of our residential sprinkler ordinance please click here.
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