Bowie House Fire - Peachtree Lane

Photo by Assistant Fire Chief Kenneth McSwain

Photo by Assistant Fire Chief Kenneth McSwain

                          MEDIA CONTACT: Mark E. Brady, Chief Spokesperson, 240-508-7930


Prince George's County Firefighters and Paramedics were alerted to a report of a fire at a Bowie home in the 1800 block of Peachtree Lane this morning. Firefighters arrived to find a house well involved with fire.

Fire/EMS units were alerted at about 5:00 am and arrived to find a 3100 square foot, 2-story, single family home with heavy fire showing. The home occupant, an adult male, had escaped safely prior to the Fire Department arrival. A combination of a working smoke alarm and neighbors banging on the door alerted the occupant who escaped without injury.

A "Task Force" was sounded early in the incident which summoned additional firefighters and apparatus. There were 35 firefighter/medics on the scene battling the fire. Due to heavy fire conditions the bulk of the fire was extinguished from the safety of exterior positions. The rear wall of the structure, the main and second floors as well as portions of the sides of the house, attic and roof either were burned away or collapsed into the basement of the house.

It required nearly an hour to extinguish the bulk of the fire. No injuries were reported. Two residents normally reside at the house; however, only one person was at home this morning. The displaced occupants will be staying with other family members as this house is a total loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation with fire loss estimated at $400,000 to the structure and contents.

Having a working smoke alarm increases the chances of surviving a home fire by 50%. Every home, by law, is required to have a working smoke alarm. The Fire/EMS Department recommends a working smoke alarm on every level of your home and if you sleep with your bedroom doors closed; install a working smoke alarm in your bedroom.

This home on Peachtree Lane in the Tall Oaks Crossing community was permitted and built in the late 1980's. In the early 1990's a law went into effect in Prince George's requiring all newly constructed residences to have a residential sprinkler system installed.