20060905 KDDC 76 PA Ave Fire in Westminster

Press release for the fire at 76 PA Ave. apartment Fire in Westminster

Press release for the Tuesday, September 5, 2006 76 Pennsylvania Avenue apartment fire from Doug Alexander, Public Information Officer for the Carroll County Volunteer Emergency Services Association

I took some pictures which I will put up on the blog tomorrow. WJZ Channel 13 carried the story: "Two alarm Fire Burns Westminster Complex."

Caroline, me and two other Red Cross volunteers and went out to the fire scene later and assisted 6 displaced families with clothes and lodging issues. We were out very late.

It was a great show of mutual aid and cooperation as Tuesday was certainly a busy day for the fire service in Carroll County.

The four-alarm fire in Finksburg had equipment and fire fighters filling-in at other stations and approaching the fire it was unique to see Baltimore County pieces of equipment from Glyndon, Owings Mills, Hereford, Boring on the fireground – in the middle of Westminster.

The press release reads:

Press Release: Carroll County Vol. Emergency Services Assn.
For Immediate Release to all media outlets

Apartment Fire – Second Alarm

76 Pennsylvania Avenue Apt.309, Westminster, Md. 21157

No injuries to civilians or firefighters

1 apartment unit gutted, minor smoke damage to one additional unit

Alarm dispatched at 1720 hours (5:20 pm)

First unit on the scene at 1723 hours (5:23 pm)

Fire under control at 1742 hours (5:42 pm)

Units responded from Taneytown, Pleasant Valley, New Windsor, Reese, Hampstead, Westminster, Mt. Airy, Glyndon, Owings Mills, Hereford, Boring, and Manchester

18 pieces of apparatus responded with approximately 50 personnel

Origin and cause of the fire are being investigated by the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office

Damage estimate not yet available

Box 3-31 was sounded at 1720 hours, for an apartment fire at the Shaw apartments, 76 Pennsylvania Ave. in downtown Westminster.

Ladder 5 from Taneytown was filling in at the Westminster station while their units were on a 4 alarm fire in Finksburg. Ladder 5 and Utility 6 were first on the scene with fire showing from the front door of an apartment on the third floor. Duty 3, Lt.
Pinner, arrived shortly thereafter and established Command and requested a
second alarm.

A very aggressive attack was made by Ladder 5, supported by Special Unit 3 and Medic 38. The fire was controlled quickly, but many areas had to be checked for extension, and all personnel living in adjacent units accounted for.

The fire was contained to one apartment with very little damage elsewhere. Smoke Alarms did sound in the burning apartment along with one in an adjacent unit. There were no sprinklers in the apartments.

Investigators from the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office are working to determine the cause of the fire. Building Inspectors and Electrical inspectors from Westminster were on the scene also. Most occupants will be able to return to their apartments this evening.

For further information or details, contact Doug Alexander, Public Information
Officer for the Carroll County Volunteer Emergency Services Association at
410-795-8055 VM16, or page me at 410-890-2918 (P).

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