Mark E. Brady
Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department News Release
Just before 9:30 pm, Thursday, February 16, 2006, Prince George’s County firefighters and paramedics were alerted for a building fire. Fire/EMS units were dispatched to the Huntcrest Condominiums at 3128 Brinkley Road in Temple Hills.
Units from Oxon Hill were the first to arrive and encountered heavy fire on the third floor with extension into the roof area of a three-story garden-style condominium building. A steady wind assisted in a rapid fire spread to an attached building at 3126 Brinkley Road.
A second and third alarm was sounded bringing nearly 75 firefighters and paramedics to the scene on 22 pieces of apparatus. It required 45 minutes to knock the bulk of the fire down.
Twenty-eight families were displaced and were assisted by the County Office of Emergency Management and the Red Cross.
No injuries occurred and firefighters were able to rescue a cat from a third floor unit.
Fire loss is estimated at $800,000. The fire started in a condo unit on the third floor; the cause of the fire is accidental and attributed to unattended candles. The occupant was using candles for light as he had no electrical service to his condo.