Fire officials say careless smoking led to a fire at an apartment building in Laurel that damaged nine apartments and caused $300,000 worth of damage.
Prince George’s County fire officials said in a news release that the fire broke out around 8:30 p.m. June 18 at the garden-style apartment building. Because of the intensity of the fire and smoke, firefighters extinguished the blaze mostly from outside the building.
A Laurel volunteer firefighter fell from a ladder and was taken to a hospital, where he was held for observation. No one else was injured.
Fire officials say the blaze began on a balcony and spread to the roof. Twenty-two residents were displaced.
Officials say a fire at a warehouse in the Clinton area also did $100,000 in damage on June 18.