Two children were rescued from their burning Fairmount Heights (MD) home early this morning by firefighters. Just before 3:00 am, Wednesday, May 13, Prince George’s County Firefighters and Medics were alerted to a house fire with children trapped. Fire/EMS units arrived at the 1 1/2-story, single-family, Cape Cod-style home with fire and heavy smoke showing.
The structure, originally built in 1943, has 990 sq. ft. with a basement. The first-arriving engine from the Chapel Oaks Fire/EMS Station 838 split their crew of four firefighters. One team was designated for search and rescue while the other team advanced a hose line into the house to suppress the fire.
The search/rescue firefighters each located a child in the first floor living room, which is directly adjacent to the room on fire. The children, ages three and six, were removed from the structure with immediate treatment initiated by medics. The children were transported to a specialty center for children for evaluation of smoke inhalation injuries. The children are expected to make a full recovery.
There were other family members that had escaped the homes interior prior to the Fire Departments arrival including parents and siblings. Two of those, a 19-year-old and a 14-year-old, were also transported to area hospitals for evaluation by medical staff. The Red Cross of the National Capital Region will be assisting the 9 occupants with temporary shelter.
The home had working smoke alarms, which is believed to have alerted the family to the fire. While the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, it appears, the fire originated in the kitchen. Fire loss is estimated at $30,000.
