WALDORF APARTMENT BUILDING FIRE INJURES TWO

DAMAGES ESTIMATED AT ONE MILLION

          WALDORF, MD (July 4, 2006) --  An 8:07 a.m. apartment building fire in Waldorf inured two residents today and damages have been estimated at one million dollars.  The one-alarm blaze at 6032 New Forest Court also displaced the occupants of four units within the eight-unit, two story, wood-frame building.

          Yolanda Andrea Alexander, age 37, and her 17-year-old son, Antonio Marcellous Alexander were injured by broken glass while attempting to retrieve personal belongings from their ground-floor unit.  Both were transported to Civista Medical Center for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

          Deputy State Fire Marshals determined the blaze began in the same ground-floor unit when grease ignited on the kitchen stove and spread smoke and fire into the building.  Although equipped with smoke alarms, the devices did not operate, leading investigators to believe they may have been disabled.

          Over forty firefighters from Charles and Prince George’s County were able to control the fire in twenty minutes.  There were no firefighter injuries.

          The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents.  The building was constructed prior to Maryland’s 1991 law requiring residential fire sprinkler systems in new multi-family dwellings.