Firefighters Respond After Junked Cars, Tires, Debris, Storage Building Catch Fire 

Adrian Zlotescu/MyMCM.

Update (July 7): More than 30 vehicles were involved in a fire in Rockville Tuesday afternoon, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer said.

MCFRS responded to the 15100 block of Southlawn Lane after debris, junked cars, tires and part of a commercial storage building caught fire. A front-end loader lifted a vehicle and saw fire, Piringer wrote on Twitter late Tuesday. It is probable that a spark ignited leaking fuel. Gas is normally drained from the vehicles, he said, but the origin vehicle had just arrived at the location from an auction.

Update – @DavidPazos15 Southlawn La, outside; front-end loader lifted vehicle (heard "whoosh") & saw fire; >30 vehicles involved (normally gas is drained, but origin vehicle just arrived from auction) It is probable a spark ignited the fumes (leaking fuel); Damage, Negligible https://t.co/gPPjy2WLXs pic.twitter.com/LrMPCawrl6

— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) July 7, 2021

Original Post (July 6): About 75 firefighters responded after debris, junked cars, tires and part of a commercial storage building in Rockville caught fire Tuesday afternoon, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) officials said.

Units were dispatched around 3:30 p.m. to the 15100 block of Southlawn Lane, MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer said. As of 4:18 p.m. MCFRS said the fire was knocked.

Piringer said Southlawn Court at Southlawn Lane is closed for an extended amount of time. Drivers should seek alternative routes, he said.

There were no reported injuries.

(~330p Initial Dispatch) 15100blk Southlawn Ln., Rockville, Commercial Building with a large amount of debris, junked cars and tires on fire (part of the building involved) protracted incident, Area roads CLOSED, ~75 FFs on scene (on scene ‘real-feel’ temperature >100°) pic.twitter.com/wmdfyt74hf

— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) July 6, 2021

15100 blk Southlawn La fire is knocked, crews checking hotspots. Road remains closed for water supply. pic.twitter.com/WPVSW6L6YC

— MCFRSNews (@MCFRSNews) July 6, 2021

About Maryam Shahzad

Maryam is a reporter with Montgomery Community Media. She graduated from the University of Maryland in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism. Previously, she was an intern with MCM. She can be reached at mshahzad@mymcmedia.org or on Twitter @maryam_mcm.

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