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Fire Displaces Residents In Suitland Apartment Complex

By: Armando Trull // June 6, 2012
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Firefighters survey the wreckage of a fire that ripped through part of a Suitland, Md. apartment complex June 6.
Armando Trull
Firefighters survey the wreckage of a fire that ripped through part of a Suitland, Md. apartment complex June 6.

Residents of the Andrews Ridge Apartment Homes in Suitland were awakened by blaring alarms and black smoke as a fire burned within the five-building complex early Wednesday morning.

The Prince George’s County Fire Department responded to the apartments, which are located on the 5600 block of Regency Park Court, shortly after 6:30 a.m. to find heavy smoke. Approximately 90 firefighters and paramedics responded to the three-alarm fire, according to Prince George’s Fire Department spokesman Mark Brady.

“When I heard commotion I looked outside [and saw] the police and fire department and I jumped up and the whole living room was just pitch black of smoke,” said Andrews Ridge resident Karina West, who had to evacuate herself and her two young children. 

The fire “leap-frogged,” from one balcony up to another, and then to the flat roof of the buildings, according to Brady. The fire was extinguished in about 45 minutes.

Approximately 11 apartments and 30 residents are believed to be affected by fire damage, according to estimates from the fire department. There were no causalities and no civilian injuries. One firefighter sustained a minor injury, according to Brady.

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