Lilly Price
The Capital, Annapolis, Md.
ROBINWOOD, Md. — Three families were displaced from their Robinwood town homes Wednesday after a fire ignited from a cigarette ember and spread across three units. A resident suffering smoke inhalation was transported to Anne Arundel Medical Center. A firefighter went to a local hospital for minor burns.
Annapolis firefighters responded to the 1300 block of Tyler Avenue around 2:15 p.m. to a fire coming from the second floor of a middle house in a row of town homes. It took 56 firefighters 30 minutes to extinguish the heavy smoke and fire that spread to the attic and two neighboring homes. Fire investigators said the fire started from ashes or embers from a cigarette placed on a plastic mattress cover.
April Diggs said her daughter, Jessica Wallace, was asleep in the second-floor bedroom when she woke up to a fire. Wallace and residents from the other units were able to escape outside by the time firefighters arrived, but her house and her belongings were destroyed, Diggs said. Wallace was sent to the hospital for smoke inhalation and has since been discharged.
“Absolutely everything was destroyed. It’s gone,” Diggs said. “I’m sorry for everybody. I’m glad everybody is safe.”
Two units were completely destroyed by fire or water damage, said Melissa Maddox-Evans, executive director of Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis. Three homes were damaged and the 10 residents were placed in a hotel. The families will be transferred to another unit as soon as possible, Maddox-Evans said.
Residents of the three homes fled outside by the time Annapolis fire crews arrived. Annapolis firefighters were assisted by Anne Arundel County and Naval District Washington fire departments.
“We’re glad that no families or individuals were hurt by the fire,” Maddox-Evans said.
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