Investigators Plead for Public's Help in Solving 5-Alarm College Park Fire

COLLEGE PARK, MD — The fire that caused a record-setting $39 million in damage in College Park on Monday likely was accidental, but authorities are still investigating what caused it and are asking for the public to provide any video or images that would help them.

The fire broke out at an apartment building under construction at 4700 Berwyn House Road on April 24 and raged for more than 24 hours, drawing more than 200 firefighters from Prince George's County and surrounding jurisdictions to battle the flames.

"Preliminarily findings by Fire Investigators indicate the cause appears to be accidental," according to a statement from PGFD. "However, the official cause and origin cannot be determined until after a hands-on investigation which could take days to weeks based on the structural integrity of the building."

Investigators want video and still images from the public during the initial phases of the fire that could help them figure out what started the fire. Firefighters were first dispatched at 9:35 a.m. on Monday.

"If you have any images prior to the fire departments arrival or just after the fire departments arrival we are asking you to voluntarily submit your images," the statement adds.

Images can be emailed to PGFDPIO@co.pg.md.us, or if you can't figure out how to email the images you can send an email to that address and authorities will contact you.

Image via PGFD