On Saturday, Feb. 16, firefighters and paramedics were sent to West Springs Drive, Ellicott City just off of Town and Country Boulevard at about 10:30 p.m. after reports of an apartment fire. According to authorities, both civilians and firefighters were able to evacuate the building safely and no one was injured. The fire had been contained and extinguished within 15 minutes, as stated by The Baltimore Sun.  

Maryland has a long history of fires, including house and wildfires. These fires are most prominent in and around Baltimore. In Ellicott City, house fires are not uncommon, but when they do occur, they are handled in a timely and appropriate manner. In the entire state, there are 261 fire departments currently registered with the National Fire Department Registry. On the websites for each of the facilities, there is information on how residents can keep themselves safe in the event of a fire in or around their homes. Specifically on the Ellicott City Volunteer Fire Department, there is information about fire hydrants, space heater safety, and more.

Senior Mariah Qureshi said, “I’ve witnessed over four incidents in my life relating to fire and fire hazards and I think that it is important to be addressed in our community.”

The Office of Fire Marshal is in midst of conducting an investigation on the incident that occurred last Saturday night. There is little information available on the exact cause of the incident at this moment in time. However, it is known that the fire began on the first floor and extended up the exterior of the building.

The fire caused extensive damage to a few apartments and multiple residents were displaced. Around 13 people were moved out of their homes that night, having little to nothing left to take with them. The American Red Cross is aiding those residents that were severely impacted by this event. These people have been given new apartments to stay in during the meantime along with other necessities through the organization.

Senior Zara Mahmood, a nearby resident said, “the event was unbelievable because it had never happened in our area, there were firefighters and police cars coming in every few minutes and it was really intense.”

This fire has affected many people and their families, a lot of which include students that attend Mt. Hebron. There is still a wait for further information from investigators on the origins of the blaze and the status of those being assisted by American Red Cross is yet to be updated.