Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Fire at Willard Avenue apartments in Friendship Heights injures at least 2 (Photos)

Firefighters enter the
Willard Apartments

Updated 10:05 PM 1/12/16: MCFRS spokesperson confirms two residents transported to local hospital Priority 3 with non-life-threatening injuries; "several" residents displaced by fire damage; others now returning to apartments

MCFRS spokesperson says sprinklers prevented spread of fire; blaze now confirmed to have originated in the 16th floor sunroom/study area

Several "special" Ride On buses are arriving at the scene, fire confirmed to have been on 16th floor

A fire at the Willard Apartments at 4701 Willard Avenue has injured at least one person tonight in Chevy Chase. Willard Avenue is currently closed in both directions, but the main fire has been extinguished. Firefighters are now checking for any extension of the blaze in the building, which has been evacuated.

Two people have non-life-threatening injuries, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesperson Pete Piringer. One is a burn victim. Some residents had to be rescued after being trapped on the building's 16th floor.

The fire is at least a two-alarm at this moment. Stretchers are being wheeled into the building lobby as I type this. Firefighters are moving evacuated residents back indoors to an exercise room, but have warned them not to go upstairs until smoke can be ventilated from the high-rise.


Firefighters in lobby
Evacuated residents wait
in lobby
More firefighters arrive
on-scene
Residents evacuated into
gusty winds
Special Ride On buses
arrive to provide temporary
warmth and shelter

Fire is out, but smoke
needs to be
ventilated from building
Firefighters and
police direct
residents to
exercise room for
warmth
MCFRS spokesperson
addresses the media
at the scene

3 comments:

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Picture #16 shows a firetruck from "Fort Detrick" which is an Army base in Frederick, MD. I wonder what they were doing in the area to be asked to assist??

Anonymous said...

That's engine 54 from the Forrest Glen Annex off Brookville Rd in Silver Spring. They've been under command of Ft Detrick since '08, so carry their markings.