As many as 1,000 people were evacuated from a 20-story apartment building in Bethesda, Maryland, Thursday afternoon after a fire in an electrical closet, fire officials said.
As many as 1,000 people were evacuated from a 20-story apartment building in Bethesda, Maryland, Thursday afternoon after a fire in an electrical closet, fire officials said.
The fire apparently sparked on the ninth floor of the Grosvenor House Apartments at 10101 Grosvenor Lane in Bethesda, officials said. Montgomery County Fire & Rescue responded shortly after 12:30 p.m. and found smoke coming from the upper floors and lobby of the of the high-rise building.
Sprinklers were activated at the source of the fire, and firefighters were able to extinguish the flames, but heavy smoke spread to several floors of the building.
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Pete Piringer, spokesperson for Montgomery County Fire & Rescue, said up to 1,000 people were evacuated from 400 apartments.
The apartment community had no power as of about 3:20 p.m., but residents were able to re-enter the south building about an hour later. Residents of the north building were still waiting for power to be restored.
Residents will not be about to reoccupy 30 apartments, Piringer said.
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No one was reported injured.
