3 fires Sunday morning in Prince George’s County

WASHINGTON – Prince George’s County firefighters had a busy Sunday morning. They were out fighting three separate fires, two of which may have been caused by heating appliances.

Prince George’s County fire department spokesman Mark Brady says colder temperatures often lead to more fires.

The first fire happened just before 1 a.m. on the 5200 block of Palco Place in College Park. Firefighters arrived to find a fire in the basement that quickly burned through the upper floors and through the roof.

There were no injuries, but the fire is estimated to have done $50,000 in damage. The cause is still under investigation, but they believe the initial use of the home’s furnace may have led to the fire.

The second fire happened around 3 a.m. in the 12800 block of Peachleaf Court in Upper Marlboro. Firefighters arrived to find another basement fire, and were able to quickly put it out. During the first search of the house they found an unconscious woman.

She was found not breathing and with no pulse, suffering from burns and smoke inhalation. She’s currently listed in critical condition.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated. The damage is estimated at $30,000.

The third fire happened at an apartment building around 8:30 a.m. in the 3500 block of Windom Road in Brentwood.

Fire was showing from the second and third floors when firefighters arrived, but was extinguished within 15 minutes. No injuries were reported.

Investigators believe the fire was caused by a space heater in a second floor apartment that was ignited by nearby combustibles.

It’s not known yet how many people were displaced or how much damage the fire caused.

Brady advises that all heating systems should be checked and serviced by a certified technician before the cold weather comes, have chimneys and fireplaces cleaned, and to give space heaters at least three feet of space.

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