Squad/MSU, Ambulance Respond to Laurel 3-Alarmer

Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, January 14th, units from Laurel, Beltsville and the surrounding areas were dispatched to 12800 Fourth Street for a reported apartment fire, arriving on the scene with smoke showing from the ninth floor and almost immediately requesting a second alarm.

Crews from Bowie E191 and Truck 93 advance a line to the fire apartment via Truck 93, positioned on Side 3 of the fire wing. The crew from Ambulance 18 and PGFD EMS load a fire victim into the back of an awaiting Medic Unit. Tower 10 (right) and Truck 12 position their aerials on Side 1 to the fire apartment and adjacent unit.

Squad/MSU-1 was dispatched on the second alarm, and Ambulance 18 responded on the EMS Task Force. Units had heavy fire in an apartment unit with extension and considerable smoke throughout the 9th and 10th floors.

Crews took about 25 minutes to bring the fire under control. Fire consumed one apartment on the ninth floor with extension. An eventual three alarms and numerous EMS units were called to the scene from four counties.

Squad 1 initialy was sent to assist an approximately 50-year-old woman down from the ninth-floor before returning to the 9th and 10th floor to open up apartments and do secondary searches. Ambulance 18 tended to the victim brought down by Squad 1 and then stood by at the EMS Command Post.

Several rescues were effected by firefighters by way of their aerial ladders reaching the upper floors and assisting those residents from their balconies. Numerous other occupants were assisted by firefighters through the smoke and downstairs by way of the stairwells

Nearly 100 firefighters and rescue personnel staffing over 30 units operated on the scene of the incident.

Chief 1A oversaw crews from Montgomery County in the Rapid Intervention Team.

Units from the HVFD and Chief 1A cleared in about two hours. The units were staffed by ten volunteer Fire and EMS personnel.

Several hundred residents of the high-rise were forced to evacuate during the blaze. About a dozen were treated on the scene for smoke inhalation and minor injuries. Eight residents were transported to local area hospitals; seven residents suffered smoke inhalation (good condition) and one resident possibly having suffered a heart attack (serious condition).

Company 1 had an additional suppression crew with six volunteer personnel in the station during the incident.

Earlier in the evening, Truck 1 and Ambulance 18 transferred to Co. 48 while crews there battled a fire in Lanham.

Companies assigned to 12800 Fourth Street, Box 10-17:

• First Alarm: Engine Companies 10 (Laurel), 78 (Maryland City/Anne Arundel Co), 41 (Beltsville) and 70 (Savage/Howard Co), Tower 31 (Beltsville), Truck 93 (Burtonsville/Montgomery Co), Rescue Squad 49 (Laurel Rescue) -- Tower 10 (Laurel), Ambulance 419 (Beltsville) 498 (Laurel Rescue) also responded.
• Second Alarm: Engine Companies 11 (Branchville), 35 (Greenbelt), 19 (Bowie), 72 (Howard), Trucks 14 (Berwyn Heights), Truck 12 (College Park), Rescue Squad/Metro Support Unit 1 (HVFD), Medic 49, Ambulance 499 (Laurel Rescue), ECU 22, Air/Light 45 (Marlboro), Water Supply Co. 25 (Clinton)
• EMS Task Force/Additional: Ambulances 18 (HVFD), 129 (College Park), 497 (Laurel Rescue), Medic 12, EMS-1, Medic 70 (Howard), and various PG, Howard, Montgomery and Anne Arundel County ALS/BLS units.
• Third Alarm/Extra: Engines 931 & 932 (Burtonsville), Engine 484 (West Lanham), Engine 961 (Montgomery County), Truck 7 (Riverdale), Tower 18 (Glenn Dale), Truck 9 (Bladensburg), Rescue Squad 13 (Riverdale Heights), Truck 92 (Hillendale).

Additionally, a task force consisting of two engine Companies, Tower 24 (Accokeek), Rescue Squad 27 (Morningside), and Ambulance 779 (Arundel) proceeded to transfer to the Laurel area during the incident.

The Fire/EMS Departments Office of Emergency Management as well as the Red Cross were on the scene assisting residents that were evacuated from the building.

The Laurel Mall, located directly across the street, was opened to provide temporary shelter for residents. At the time of this update, all residents remained evacuated from the building. It is anticipated that most residents will be able to return to their apartments some time this morning.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation and damage estimates are not yet available.

Information from PGFD News Release was included in this report

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