Neighbor Helped Save Two Teens From Potomac Fire
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services said an alert neighbor walking her dog on Monday banged on the front door of a Potomac home just in time to alert two teenagers inside to the flames engulfing the back of the home.
Firefighters were dispatched to the 12400 block of Willow Green Court in Potomac just after 4 p.m. on Monday and found a heavy fire that has left the two teenagers and two others displaced.
The neighbor smelled smoke and found flames in the back of the house, called 911, tied her dog to a nearby mailbox, ran back to the home and pounded on the front door to alert any occupants, according to a MCFRS press release. The teens inside narrowly escaped the fire, MCFRS said, and officials are crediting her with helping them escape safely.
MCFRS investigators determined the fire was accidental and was sparked by cooking materials that had been placed outside to cool. Because of the more than $600,000 in damage to the home, investigators were unable to determine if the home had smoke alarms.
One firefighter suffered non-life threatening injuries at the scene and has been released. About 80 fire rescue personnel responded to the scene, as did the American Red Cross to assist the displaced family.
Photos via Rockville Volunteer Fire Department
Heavy Fire In Rockville Home
Firefighters are putting out a heavy fire in a home in the 12400 block of Willow Green Court near Falls Chapel Way, according to scanner traffic.
The fire burned through the back of the house and the garage. Police are blocking off access to Copenhaver Drive at the intersection of Falls Chapel Way.
Morning Notes
Dog That Helped Alert Elderly Bethesda Woman To Danger Died In House Fire — The 90-year-old woman who survived an early morning garage fire last week says she was alerted to danger by her dog, which could not be rescued from the back room of the smoke-filled house in time. The woman was taken to the hospital and was recovering from smoke inhalation. [The Gazette]
Harris Teeter Says It’s Coming To 8300 Woodmont Project — The grocery chain says it has finalized a long rumored lease for the planned 375-unit apartment undergoing preliminary construction work at the edge of downtown Bethesda. [Bethesda Patch]
Reminder: Engineers To Present New Plans For Sangamore Road Intelligence Base Tonight — Reps from the Army Corps of Engineers and construction company Whiting-Turner will present updated designs for the Intelligence Community Campus-Bethesda, set to hold about 3,000 employees at the former site of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency headquarters at 4800 Sangamore Rd. [MORE]
Annapolis Gun Control Hearing Draws Large, Spirited Crowd — A Wednesday public hearing run by State Sen. Brian Frosh (D-Bethesda-Chevy Chase) included eight hours of testimony from officials and residents on both sides of the gun debate. Frosh and Gov. Martin O’Malley (D), who testified, support restrictions such as an assault weapons ban. [Washington Post]
Flickr photo by IamJomo
Smoke Alarm Helped Save Elderly Bethesda Woman From House Fire
MCFRS officials say a smoke alarm alerted neighbors to a house fire on Thursday morning in Bethesda that led to the rescue of a 90-year-old female resident.
Soon after 5:30 a.m., firefighters were called to the house in the 7700 block of Glenmore Springs Way near Seven Locks Road after receiving multiple calls from neighbors reporting that the house was on fire.
The fire, heavy in the garage of the ranch style home, was extinguished with little spread into the remainder of the house, officials said. Upon arriving firefighters were told the 90-year-old woman was possibly still in the house, where they found her in a back bedroom.
She was treated on the scene and transported to a local hospital, where officials said she remained Thursday evening with non-life threatening injuries.
There were no vehicles in the garage at the time of the fire, which officials said led investigators to determine the fire started in or around an oil-filled space heater that was plugged into an extension cord.
The fire caused $200,000 in damages to the structure and contents and three adult residents were displaced.
“A working smoke alarm, along with alert neighbors, were a life-saving combination,” according to the MCFRS description of the event.
Morning Notes
MCFRS Rescues Elderly Woman From House Fire on Thursday Morning — The 90-year-old woman firefighters rescued Thursday morning from her home in the 7700 block of Glenmore Spring Way remained hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries last night. [Washington Post]
Bethesda Man Sentenced To Prison For Dealing Cocaine — A federal judge sentenced Xavier Eccleston, 35, to 17 and-a-half years in prison for conspiring to distribute powder and crack cocaine. [The Gazette]
Ledecky Swimming High School Meets, Helps School To League Title — Gold medal Olympian and Bethesda native Katie Ledecky helped her Stone Ridge School to its swim league title for the first time in 10 years. The 15-year-old fresh off her leap into the world spotlight last summer has become quite the draw at the high school meets. [Washington Post]
Flickr photo by Michael Adler2
Bethesda House Fire Requires MCFRS Rescue
A house fire this morning in a neighborhood just off Seven Locks Road required MCFRS personnel to rescue and treat one person, according to Fire spokesman and Assistant Chief Scott Graham.
MCFRS was on the scene of the fully-involved garage fire in the 7700 block of Glenmore Spring Way around 5:45 a.m.
MCFRS – on scene house fire * 7700 blkGlenmore Spring garage fully involved. Possibly 1 rescue. More when avail. Thx, Scott
— Scott Graham (@MCFirePIO) January 31, 2013
The person in need of rescue was removed by 6:04 a.m.
MCFRS Update- Glenmore Spring Way 1 person removed being treated. Condition when avail. Fire knocked. More as avail.Thx, Scott
— Scott Graham (@MCFirePIO) January 31, 2013
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A fire that might have started in the garage of a house on the 9500 block of Fernwood Road left significant damage and forced occupants out on Sunday afternoon.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services spokesman Capt. Scott Graham said people in the house smelled smoke in the garage and called 911. There were no injuries and the cause of the fire was under investigation as fire crews remained on scene Sunday evening.
The house sits along a private road on a hill above the Old Georgetown Swim Club, where crews were stationed to access the back of the house. A resident on the road said everybody in the house was fine.
Fire and Rescue Responds to Bethesda House Fire
Fire and Rescue personnel put out a small attic fire in a Rosedale Avenue home this afternoon, temporarily closing off the residential area near the intersection of Rosedale Avenue and Kentucky Avenue.
The call for smoke in the attic came in around 3 p.m. on Monday. Smoke could be seen coming from under the roof at the home in the 4500 block of Rosedale Avenue.
Firefighters used chainsaws to cut a hole through the roof to access the attic and quickly extinguished the fire.
The homeowner called with reports of smoke from the attic and told firefighters she had recently had workers in the house. She was unharmed on remained on the scene.
Kensington House Fire Displaces Two
A house fire in in the 4000 block of Glenrose Street in Kensington caused major damage and required the evacuation of an elderly woman and her caregiver, according to scanner traffic.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service received a call just after 3:15 p.m. on Monday. As many as six fire engines were on the scene, closing a southbound lane of traffic on nearby Connecticut Avenue.
Sections of the home’s living room, garage and upstairs appeared to sustain heavy damage. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesman Assistant Chief Scott Graham said he was awaiting an incident report before releasing information.
