Apartment Building Fire in Columbia

COLUMBIA, MD - A two alarm fire at the Kendall Ridge Apartments has displaced several people.

At approximately 10:15 PM, firefighters were summoned to a reported building fire in the 8900 block of Tamar Drive in Columbia. Units arrived to find a fire on the second floor in the rear of the building, with the fire leaping to the third floor. Additional units were summoned on the second alarm.

One civilian was evaluated for a possible asthma attack; however, the civilian was not transported. As many as thirty (30) civilians may be displaced from this fire; American Red Cross is working with those displaced to find them alternative housing accommodations at this time.

No other injuries were reported, and fire investigators are working to determine the cause of the blaze. No damage estimate is available.



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House Fire Injures One Firefighter

CLARKSVILLE, MD - A fall has seriously injured a firefighter who was pumping a fire engine on a large fire in Clarksville.

Shortly after 4:15 in the morning, firefighters were summoned to the 6400 block of Richardson's Farm Lane (formerly known as Prestwick Drive) in Clarksville for a reported house fire. Firefighters quickly arrived to find a single family house with fire showing, and additional alarms were requested.

In the initial stages of the incident, the driver of one of the fire engines sustained a fall and a resulting injury. Due to the severity of the injury, a Maryland State Police medevac helicopter was requested to transport the firefighter to a trauma center. The helicopter landed at a nearby church.

Firefighters employed water tanker shuttles due to a lack of fire hydrants in the area. Aerial ladders, master streams and large volume hoses were also used to fight the fire.

Personnel from Howard, Prince George's, Montgomery and Anne Arundel counties worked together to fight the blaze. Additional firefighters and apparatus were brought in to fill the empty firehouses.

Several support agencies were summoned, to include Howard County Highways for salt trucks, BGE for gas an electric utilities control, and Howard County Police for traffic control. Firefighters cleared the house after close to 12 hours on the scene.

Our thoughts are with the injured firefighter and his family.

Photos provided courtesy of the Laytonsville District Volunteer Fire Department.


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