WASHINGTON — Firefighters helped thousands of residents evacuate around 550 units after a transformer fire set off alarms in a Bethesda high-rise Saturday morning.
Residents of smoke-affected units in the Promenade Apartments on Pooks Hill Road were evacuated while others sheltered in place.
Some 1,100 to 1,500 people have been displaced from the complex’s North Tower and won’t be able to reoccupy, officials say.
Eighteen people were taken to hospitals for treatment of smoke-related injuries, along with one firefighter who suffered heat exhaustion. Eleven people were taken to the hospital for pre-existing medical conditions
The fire started in the electrical room, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, and smoke was seen on multiple floors. The fire is caused approximately $1 million worth of damage.
Below is a map of the area where the building is located.
