Hundreds of people in Bethesda, Maryland, have been forced from their apartments after an electrical fire over the weekend. Montgomery County housing officials condemned the building.
No one was hurt, but the fire caused a major power issue.
Residents displaced from the Westwood Tower Apartments spoke to News4 about their safety concerns.
They were evacuated over the weekend after an electrical problem filled floors with smoke. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue responded to reports of an electrical issue at the 15-story building about 7:15 p.m. Saturday.
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Matthew Correa said he was visiting his grandmother inside the building located at 5401 Westbard Ave. when the floors filled with smoke.
“We started noticing the lights were flickering; we didn’t know what happened, and then all of a sudden, they blacked out the whole building,” Correa said. “And then all of a sudden, we saw smoke and smelled it, and we had to evacuate the building.”
Initially, it was believed most residents would be able to stay, since the fire didn’t affect the heat or water supply. At-risk residents were relocated to a hotel.
But Sunday, that all changed.
Residents were evacuated after the county’s Department of Housing and Community Affairs condemned the building so crews could make immediate electrical repairs. Video shows residents hastily packing to seek refuge with relatives or friends, or go to hotels being provided by building management. About 205 units were impacted.
In a statement, the Housing Opportunity Commission of Montgomery County, which owns the building, told News4 in part: "Pepco, Fire and Rescue, as well as Code Enforcement have been working collaboratively and have determined that, as of Jan. 7, all residents should be relocated. Property Management staff and volunteers are working in real time to relocate residents to area hotels."
Signs posted in the building read "condemned" in English, and in Spanish, "inhabitables" (meaning "uninhabitable").
Another sign said, "The fire alarm is currently out of service." A resident told News4 the sign has been up for at least two months.
Reggie Pannell, a single father, is now staying at a hotel in Rockville with his children. He was extremely concerned.
“The fire alarm wasn’t working at all," he said.
Multiple residents complained about that issue to News4.
The Housing Opportunities Commission said Pepco shut down power to the entire building so they could start repairs. Residents said they were told the work could take anywhere from three to five days.
They’re hoping this all gets fixed soon.
"Transportation. Coming from the hotel, to the schools, to work – it’s inconvenient. Very," Pannell said.
And while no one was hurt, there are concerns over what it’ll be like if and when they’re allowed back.
"Everybody's gonna want some answers. Everybody’s gonna want to know that we’re safe," another resident said. "Last thing you need is to know that wires got fried in your building. This is a high-rise. God forbid something happens and people can’t make it downstairs.”
Pepco tells News4 it was called in to de-energize the building. It says the electrical issue was not with its equipment, but rather with the building's equipment.
Although the building is owned by Montgomery County, it is managed by a third-party company, CAPREIT Property Management. News4 reached out to that company for comment, but we haven't heard back yet.
In February 2023, a woman was killed and dozens of people were displaced after a fire in a high-rise apartment in Silver Spring. That fire spurred renewed calls for fire safety at large apartments in the county.
"@mcfrs wants YOU to KNOW Should you stay or should you go...KNOW fire safety features & emergency procedures in your high-rise building's fire safety plan," Montgomery County Fire Spokesperson Pete Piringer wrote on X Monday. "KNOW locations of ALL exits in case nearest one is blocked by smoke or fire. KNOW how to survive."
