UPDATED: Building Evacuated in Silver Spring (PHOTOS)
UPDATED, July 8, 2:25 p.m.- Montgomery Couty fire official said electricity was restored at 2:45 a.m. on July 8 and emergency generator continues to operate in the 15-story building in Silver Spring.
There is still no air conditioning or hot water. Fire alarms are back on, a fire official said.
The building had two electrical fires in a 72-hour period.
Original:
Montgomery County firefighters evacuated residents from a building in Silver Spring on July 7 after an electrical fire started in the basement and spread through the building.
Fire and Rescue Spokesperson Pete Piringer said the building also had an electrical fire on July 5.
“Sunday night we had almost the same thing. … today it was the [electrical] panel next to the one that burnt before,” Piringer said.
The fire caused a power outage in the 15-story building located at 1111 University Boulevard. More than 1,000 residents are affected, according to Piringer.
As of 11 p.m., power was still out and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Office of Code Compliance officials were on the scene to make sure everything will work properly once power is back on, Piringer said.
People trapped in elevators were taken out. The building has 275 condos.
“We are now basically letting people shelter in place,” he said.
The American Red Cross was at the scene to assist residents. Due to power outage Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services along with Red Cross opened a shelter at Blair Hight School for residents affected by this incident.
Photos from the scene:
Update University towers, power outage, due to electrical fire in basement, fire fighters checking for people trapped in an elevators
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) July 7, 2015
1111 University Bl, University Towers W, 15-sty hi-rise condo, electrical fire in basement, some smoke in bldg, bldg evacuated
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) July 7, 2015
University Towers – electricians advise power still out & likely to remain that way most of nite, no AC, no hot water pic.twitter.com/W2KAqhg01B
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) July 8, 2015
https://twitter.com/mcfrsPIO/status/618591705672077312
Thanks for quick reporting. They shut power of at the same type building next door where I am as well (1121 University). Firemen going floor to floor looking for something. If fire was in 1111, don’t know what they are looking for here.
Aside from a fire code violation the building also has rodent infestation for over 3 years now, the elevator inspection sticker says “valid until…2014”, management is inattentive to any complaints or requests, it’s always the tenants’ fault. Most owners don’t live in the building most units are rented. The county should create an escrow account for rent payment and defend the renters. Cathy the manager isn’t willing to advocate for renters and lies to them about the situation when any violation is reported.
Will you help us? the management doesn’t address any of our concerns. They ignore all issues including rodent infestation, fire code violations, and elevator inspection certificate that already expired in 2014 (valid until 2014)
So is the power, water and AC back on yet? We were told by Indie at the front desk that we were going to have to evacuate due to no water.