WASHINGTON — A fire forced Bethesda, Md., residents out into the freezing cold morning, leaving behind extensive damage in at least three occupied apartments.
Officials say the sprinklers saved lives. The fire occurred about 3 a.m. at the 5100 block of Dudley Lane.
“The damage is estimated to be about a million dollars. We do have a couple families displaced,” said Pete Piringer, senior spokesman for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue. No residents were hurt, but he said two fire fighters did suffer minor injuries.
He said the buildings have smoke alarms and sprinklers, both of which went off and protected residents.
Three occupied apartments, a model unit, and the leasing office were damaged, Piringer confirmed.
“What we found was pretty extensive fire in the walls, floors, ceilings,” he said, adding that the fire was accidental and appears to have started in or around a second-floor clothing dryer. The fire had spread inside the walls, along the floors and ceilings.
He said when firefighters arrived, the fire was only visible from a vent, and had not been initially visible to the occupants.
Piringer adds that they’ve had quite a few dryer-related fires this season. “Typically it’s the lint build-up (that) overheats, and then that causes nearby combustibles, walls, ceiling to catch on fire.”
