Photo courtesy Pete Piringer
33 residents were displaced after an apartment fire in Aspen Hill on Thursday.
Several had to be rescued and two were hospitalized with smoke inhalation, according to county Fire and Rescue Service Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer.
About 85 firefighters responded to 3502 Pear Tree Court. The fire was accidental and started in a third-floor bedroom, likely caused by a phone charger overheating. A charred cell phone charger was found among debris on the bed and there were no other sources of ignition found, according to Piringer. The apartment was unoccupied at the time.
It is a non-sprinklered building, according to Piringer. The entire 16-unit building was posted as unsafe to occupy.
Damage is estimated to be $700,000.
