No hydrants working at Laurel Regional Hospital

February 12, 2009 - 12:39pm

Neal Augenstein, wtop.com

LAUREL, Md. -- With winds of up to 50 mph whipping around, a lack of working fire hydrants made it difficult Thursday morning for firefighters to battle a blaze on the grounds of Laurel Regional Hospital.

When firefighters arrived on the scene of the 5:30 a.m., the found the nearby fire hydrants had been turned off.

The fire occurred in an abandoned MRI building several hundred yards from the hospital. A parking lot sits between the building and the hospital.

The commercial building is on private property, with the company managing building responsible for its fire hydrants, says Lyn Riggins, spokeswoman for Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission.

Firefighters had to wait for water to be trucked in by neighboring fire departments. A number of jurisdictions, including Prince George's, Howard and Montgomery counties, responded.

The cause of the fire is not known. It was limited to one room, but did force the evacuation of firefighters who entered it.

No injuries were reported.

Neal Augenstein, wtop.com

When firefighters arrived on the scene of the 5:30 a.m., the found the nearby fire hydrants had been turned off.

The fire occurred in an abandoned MRI building several hundred yards from the hospital. A parking lot sits between the building and the hospital.

The commercial building is on private property, with the company managing building responsible for its fire hydrants, says Lyn Riggins, spokeswoman for Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission.

Firefighters had to wait for water to be trucked in by neighboring fire departments. A number of jurisdictions, including Prince George's, Howard and Montgomery counties, responded.

The cause of the fire is not known. It was limited to one room, but did force the evacuation of firefighters who entered it.

No injuries were reported.

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