The Baltimore Sun
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. — Firefighters rescued several people from balconies at the top floor of a burning condominium building in Prince George’s County Wednesday evening, authorities said.
Two residents and two firefighters had non-life-threatening injuries from the fire at Presidential Park Condominiums at 9205 New Hampshire Ave. in Adelphi, according to Prince George’s County Fire Department spokesman Mark Brady.
The injured residents, who lived in the unit where the fire started, were burned before being helped down onto fire truck ladders and taken to a hospital, he said. The firefighters had smoke inhalation and a leg injury, respectively.
Firefighters found heavy fire coming from the top of the four-story building when were called about 5:20 p.m., Brady said. Residents attempted to make their way out through an interior staircase but turned around when they encountered high heat and smoke.
The two burn victims clambered down fire ladders on live television; an unknown number of others were brought down out of view on another side of the building, Brady said.
Firefighters went inside to battle the blaze and search the building for any remaining residents until the fire grew too large and had to be knocked down with a hose from outside, Brady said. It took about 30 minutes for the flames to go down enough to re-enter, he said.
The fire’s cause is under investigation.
All 101 residents of the condominium building’s 40 units were displaced by the fire. The Red Cross was assisting 10 of them; the others made their own arrangements, Brady said.
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