Two Afternoon House Fires - 2 Firefighters Injured

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

mebrady@co.pg.md.us     @PGFDPIO

Two residential fires erupted this afternoon causing nearly $300,000 in estimated fire loss with 2 firefighters injured at one of the fires..

At about 12:30 pm, Tuesday, June 3, firefighters were alerted to a house fire in the 1900 block of Bryan Point Road in Accokeek.  Firefighters arrived at the single family home with a well-advanced fire consuming the entire structure.  Firefighters battled this fire from the safety of exterior defensive positions.  It required about 1 hour to knock down the bulk of the fire. 

The home is occupied, however, no one was at home when the fire started.  The occupant is displaced as the house is considered a total loss at $250,000.  The cause of the fire remains under investigation.  No injuries were reported.  The damage was extensive which made it impossible to determine if the home was equipped with a working smoke alarm.

Later in the afternoon, just after 3:30 pm, firefighters from Bladensburg and other nearby communities responded to a house fire in the 5400 block of Emerson Street.  Firefighters arrived to find a 1 ½ story home with heavy smoke coming from the rear of the house and fire showing from windows on the side.  Firefighters initiated a search for any possible residents and initiated an interior attack on the fire.  All searches were negative.

There were about 40 firefighters on the scene that needed 30 minutes to extinguish the bulk of the fire.  During the course of the fire a volunteer firefighter from the Berwyn Heights Fire/EMS Station sustained a laceration to his hand.  He was transported to a local hospital, treated and released.

A 22-year-old volunteer firefighter from the Riverdale Fire/EMS Station sustained burns to his upper body and airway.  He was transported to a nearby Burn Unit where he has been admitted for additional observation and treatment.  He is in stable condition.

Fire Investigators determined the cause of the fire is accidental and attributed to a electrical failure of an extension cord.  A smoke alarm was found, however, it did not operate due to the lack of a battery.  Fire loss is estimated at $40,000.

The occupants of this house will also be displaced.