The 234 Apartment

( College Park Fire Department/YouTube) COLLEGE PARK, Maryland (NBC Washington) - A five-alarm fire at a College Park, Maryland, apartment building burned much longer than it should have, putting firefighters and the public at unnecessary risk, according to College Park Fire Chief Bill Corrigan . The Fuse 47 building on Berwyn House Road was still under construction at the time of the fire. FirefighterNation: Multiple-Alarm Fire at Maryland Apartment Building Construction Questioned in Maryland Five-Alarm Fire Corrigan told the News4 I-Team the standpipe valves firefighters typically use to pump water up through a building in an emergency were left in the "closed" position. The design of the building limited firefighter access to the structure, Corrigan said, and the sheer size also hampered firefighter efforts . "This building was 100 percent within the allowable parameters, but it was built to the absolute max," Corrigan said. "Probably to within ...

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) - Firefighters were forced to leave an apartment fire Friday afternoon after being informed of a possibly armed man in the unit. At 4 p.m., the Clark County Fire Department received 911 calls reporting a balcony on fire at the Copper Creek Apartments located at 9490 S. Bermuda Road, near Richmar Avenue.  Upon arrival fire crews found smoke coming from the balcony of a second floor apartment .  Firefighters quickly made access through the locked apartment door and were able to extinguish the bulk of the fire when they were informed that a man was barricaded in the apartment and possibly armed with a weapon. Firefighters retreated from the area leaving all their equipment behind and began evacuating bystanders to a safe location out of the line of sight of the apartment. Fire Incident Commanders immediately called for assistance from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department . Approximately 25 minutes after their arrival, Las Vegas police personnel were ab...

WATERLOO — A second fire in nine months extensively damaged an abandoned city- owned greystone apartment building in the 900 block of Commercial Street Sunday morning , renewing concerns about its ongoing safety and structural integrity. Firefighters were called to 925 Commercial St. about 5 a.m. and remained on the scene at least three hours later, working through the structures. The building was still smoldering at 8 a.m. Smoke was emanating from a top-floor window at that time. Fire Battalion Chief Mike Moore said this fire resulted in more extensive damage than the November blaze, including floor damage to the upper levels. A cause has not yet been determined. While the building has been abandoned, Moore said, it has been known to have been used periodically by “squatters” who take shelter there though they have no tenancy or ownership. Moore said firefighters were doing their best to work through the structure Sunday to make sure the fire is completely out. “We’re just trying...