Just before 3 p.m., April 29 a citizen ran into Beltsville Fire/EMS Station #831 and alerted personnel of a fire at a nearby automotive garage.
Fire/ EMS units responded about 1 block to 11250 Baltimore Avenue at Prestige Collision and Glass to find a 1-story, multi-bay, automotive garage with heavy smoke coming from two bays located on the rear of the structure.
As additional units from surrounding communities were alerted to assist, Beltsville firefighters stretched hoselines and initiated a knock down of the fire. The Beltsville ambulance crew located an adult male employee, approximately 30 years of age, who sustained second degree burns to a small area of his lower legs.
Additionally, a firefighter assigned to the College Park Fire/EMS Station #812 sustained injuries to his knee while operating on the fireground. Both patients were transported to area hospitals. Quick work by the initial arriving crews limited the fire to two bays. A total of 25 firefighters operated on the fireground.
The cause of the fire is under investigation and fire loss is estimated at $40,000.