Apartment Building Fire on Lake Drive

July 4, 2003 2145hrs:

As the fireworks at Stoddert Middle School completed, units from Waldorf were alerted for an apartment building fire on Lake Drive. While units were enroute, dispatch advised that they were receiving calls reporting smoke in the laundry room area. Engine 32, under the command of Capt Ryan Pagel, arrived on the scene of a 3 story apartment complex with nothing evident. Chief 3B DJ Mills established the Lake Drive Command as Engine 32's crew proceeded to the lower level and found the laundry room with a haze of smoke evident. The cause of the smoke was identified as a malfunctioning dryer machine. The thermal imager was brought in to check the entire room to make sure there was no extension. Rescue Squad 3 setup a negative pressure fan to remove the smoke. Units cleared a short time later and returned to quarters.

Units Responding: Engine 32, Engine 31, Rescue Squad 3, Command 3 (Chief 3B), Engine 122, Baden Engine 363, Clinton Engine 255, Brandywine Squad 40, La Plata Truck 1, Accokeek Tower 24, and Ambulance 38