Working Smoke Alarm Alerts Germantown Family To Fire

At approximately 3:23 a.m. this morning, MCFRS units responded for a reported house fire in the 13400 block of Tilford Court in Germantown. Units arrived on scene with fire showing from the rear of a two-story single family home.

Six occupants of the home, two adults and four children, were awakened by a working smoke alarm and observed the deck on fire. The family then exited the structure and called 911 once safely outside.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire which appeared to have started on the deck and then extended inside the house.

Fire Investigators arrived on scene and conducted an origin and cause investigation. Family members indicated that a charcoal cooker on the deck was used earlier in the day. Upon further examination, investigators determined that the cause of the fire was accidental, the result of a charcoal cooker.

A total of approximately 75 firefighters were on the scene. There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters. As a result of the damage, the family of six was displaced. Total fire loss was determined to be $100,000 to the structure and $50,000 for contents.

MCFRS would like to remind everyone that working smoke alarms save lives! Please make sure the alarms in your home work and ensure that you have a home fire escape plan. MCFRS offers free home safety evaluations and smoke alarms for those in need.

We would also like to remind all residents about Outdoor Grilling Safety.

Outdoor Cooking and Recreational Fires near Multi-Family Buildings

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services would like to share with you the criteria for cooking outdoors and recreational fires near multi-family dwellings to ensure a safe and enjoyable summer. “Multi-family” is any building that has three or more separate living units. This includes garden-style apartments, mid and high-rise apartments, and some condos.

Fire Attendant: 
All outdoor cooking or recreational fires must be constantly attended by a responsible person at least 18 years of age until the fire is extinguished. A garden hose or other extinguishing equipment has to be nearby and readily available for use. Grills or recreational fires cannot be used to burn trash or other combustible waste. If the fire department is contacted and determines your situation to be hazardous, the fire department can require you to extinguish your fire.

Outdoor Cooking: 
Outdoor cooking includes any gas-fired, charcoal, or electric grill. All outdoor cooking must be done at least 20 feet away from any building. It is not permitted on balconies, under overhanging portions of buildings, or on roofs. Gas-fired, charcoal, and electric grills cannot be stored on balconies.

Recreational Fires: 
Recreational fires include campfires, fire bowls, chimineas, and fire pits. Please notify the Office of Fire Code Compliance at 240-777-2457 prior to initiating a recreational fire. Permits from the Office of Fire Code Compliance and the Department of Environmental Protection are required. Recreational fires must be kept at least 25 feet away from any building. Fires are not permitted on Code Orange or Code Red Air Quality days.

After the fire: 
Dispose of all ashes in a safe manner. After 24 hours have passed, all left over hot ashes should be thoroughly dampened, cooled and stored in a metal can that is solely used for ash storage. Do not discard hot ashes in a compost pile, paper bag, cardboard box, or anything that is combustible. Be careful handling partially burned wood that may still be smoldering as it can cause serious burns