Resident in Burn Unit After House Fire; $500K Damage Estimated

One person was injured overnight in a house fire at 14443 Settlers Landing Way in North Potomac, officials said.

Pete Piringer, spokesman for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services, said on Twitter that firefighters were called to the blaze about 3 a.m. More than 65 firefighters battled the fire in the two-story house.

The family was displaced from the home, which sustained more than $500,000 damage.

Smoke alarms alerted the home’s residents to the fire, which likely started in the basement from an electrical problem. In the process, a resident suffered from smoke inhalation and was taken to the Medstar burn unit.

Piringer said it’s likely that emergency crews will return to the neighborhood Tuesday afternoon. In these cases, MCFRS personnel go door to door in the neighborhood offering to check smoke alarms and provide safety information.

In a blog post, the department says that during such door-to-door efforts this year, firefighters have found an “alarming” number of non-working smoke alarms. To ensure the safety of those residents, firefighters immediately install a new smoke alarm and/or battery.

»Photos of North Potomac house fire, courtesy of Pete Piringer, spokesman, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services