WORKING HOUSE FIRE IN CHILLUM

A family will be temporarily displaced after a fire damaged their Hyattsville home this afternoon.

Just after 3:30 pm, Saturday, April 9, 2011, firefighters were alerted via 911 callers of a possible house fire. Fire/EMS units arrived within minutes at a 2-story single family home in the 2000 block of Rittenhouse Street to find a working fire on the first floor.

First arriving units from Chillum and Hyattsville worked together to extinguish the fire and search for any occupants. All searches were negative and the fire in a first floor utility room was quickly contained and extinguished.

No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation and a preliminary fire loss is estimated at $25,000.

Acting Fire Chief Marc Bashoor was near the location when the call was dispatched and arrived shortly after command had been established. He used the opportunity to observe operations and commended the crews for an effective and efficient operation.

A family of five, 4 adults and 1 child, will be displaced and assisted with temporary shelter by the Department's Citizen Services Unit and the Red Cross.

Attached photo by Marc S. Bashoor Story from PGFD PIO

1 TRAPPED ON WASHINGTON BLVD IN JESSUP

Just before 11pm units from Savage Co 6 and other HCFD units were alerted for a accident with one trapped. Chief 6 arrived with a 2 car accident 1 car in the woods with the driver trapped R/E 62 had the driver removed within 10 min.

2ND ALARM FIRE IN LAUREL

Just before 11 units from Laurel were alerted from a Apartment fire at #10 Morris DR. Units from station 849 arrived soon after as this address is across the street from the station, CMD REQ the 2nd Alarm for heavy fire on the 2nd Floor. Within 20 min units had the fire knocked down and started clearing units.