The following was reported by Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department:
At approximately 6:45 p.m. on Monday, February 5, Sykesville and mutual aid crews were alerted for the building fire at the Sykesville Apartments , 7400 block Village Road.
Arriving units found fire in a third floor apartment. Crews immediately stretched lines and began attacking the fire, which was extending to the eaves on the rear exterior of the building.
The fire was knocked in about 15 minutes, and fire damage was limited to the apartment of origin. Smoke and water damage was noted in several other apartments.
All occupants of the building were able to exit safely and there were no injuries. The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental in nature, and is under investigation by the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal.
It should be noted that the occupant of the fire apartment closed the door to his unit as he left. There is no doubt that closing the door prevented the fire from spreading to other units.
The Red Cross is assisting approximately a dozen residents displaced by the fire.
Approximately 15 Sykesville volunteers responded along with Carroll County Department of Fire and EMS of Maryland personnel and mutual aid departments.
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Additional details from The Office of the State Fire Marshal:
Date: 2/5/2024
Time: 6:46 p.m.
Location / Address: Sykesville Apartments, 7405 Village Road, Sykesville, Carroll County
Type of Incident: Apartment Fire
Description of Structure / Property: Three-story, multi-unit apartment building
Owner / Occupants: Sykesville Apartments
Injuries or Deaths: None reported
Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $200,000.00 Contents: $50,000.00
Smoke Alarm Status: Present and activated
Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: Not present
Arrests(s): N/A
Primary Responding Fire Department: Sykesville-Freedom District Fire Department
# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 35
Time to Control: 10 minutes
Discovered By: Occupant
Area of Origin: Bedroom within Apartment #25
Preliminary Cause: E-cigarette failed, and ignited bedding material while charging
Additional Information: The fire was contained to apartment #25, however, 11 other apartments sustained varying degrees of smoke, soot, water damage. A total of 19 people are temporarily displaced.
SMOKE ALARMS SAVE LIVES! An occupant was asleep and woke up to a smoke alarm sounding and discovered a fire in a separate bedroom. He attempted to put out the fire with a pot of water before it grew beyond his control. Investigators concluded an e-cigarette failed and ignited bedding material. The Office of the State Fire Marshals offers the following safety tips:
Use e-cigarettes with caution and follow the manufacturers instructions.
Do not charge your e-cigarette with a phone or tablet charger.
Replace the batteries if they get wet or damaged.
Do not charge your e-cigarette overnight.
Protect your e-cigarette from extreme temperatures
Store loose batteries for your e-cigarette in a case. Keep them away from metal
objects.
Photo Credit – Carroll Fire News (FB)
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Here are posts on social media with photos about this fire:
Crews from three counties fight fire at the Sykesville Apartments.
Details: https://t.co/shfchADpIb pic.twitter.com/1UvmdvxXit
— Sykesville Fire Dept (@SykesvilleFD) February 6, 2024
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Here is the location of Sykesville Apartments:
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