NEW CARROLLTON, Md. (WUSA) -- Residents alerted three New Carrollton police who were patrolling the area Tuesday night about an apartment fire in the 5400 block of 85th Avenue. Those officers called for help and then went to the apartment building, going door to door to tell residents about the fire.
Smoke and fire filled stairwells and prevented residents of the upper floors of the garden-style building, with three stories on one side and four stories on the other, from getting out.
One hundred firefighters used 40 pieces of equipment at the scene of a the fire. A mother and infant were rescued by a volunteer firefighter from Kentland Fire/EMS using a ground ladder. They were not injured.
We are told six others were also rescued from balconies.
Four people were hurt and had to be transported to the hospital. They had minor injuries and illnesses. We are told that one person broke an ankle when the resident may have jumped to avoid the smoke and flames. Ten other people were evaluated at the scene but did not need to be hospitalized.
Four buildings are connected and two were directly affected by the fire. Two others were closed because utilities were shut off.
The fire was extinguished after 40 minutes. The Red Cross is trying to find places for 120 residents from about 60 apartments.
There is no cause of the fire yet but fire officials say it may have started on the outside of the building on a terrace. The fire is still being investigated.
