FireFighterNation

Mayday at Maryland Two-Alarm Apartment Fire

Fire showing from the top two floors when firefighters arrived

Video and story by Mark E. Brady

Firefighters battled a fire in a Greenbelt apartment building that required about 30 minutes to extinguish. At around 4:30 pm, Wednesday, December 26, firefighters were alerted to a fire at 9133 Edmonston Terrace in Greenbelt. This is a 2-story front/3-story in the rear garden style apartment building.

Upon arrival, firefighters found fire showing from the top two floors on the front side of the building. A civilian was rescued from his top floor apartment balcony in the rear of the building after retreating there for shelter.

A 2nd Alarm was sounded bringing about 50 firefighter/Medics to the scene.

The fire grew in intensity and eventually extended through the roof before all personnel were evacuated. The bulk of the fire was then knocked down from the exterior before firefighters returned to the interior and completed extinguishment.

One firefighter declared a Mayday after becoming separated from his crew while operating in the building at the height of the fire. The firefighter maintained his location until he was located by other firefighters almost immediately. The firefighter was not injured.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported. All of the apartments in the building of origin are displaced as well from the attached building on each side. There is a total of 30 apartments in the 3 buildings with 21 that are occupied.

The cause of the fire is accidental and attributed to a malfunctioning furnace. Preliminary fire loss is estimated at $250,000.