Crime & Safety
5 Pets Dead After Fire Breaks Out Inside MoCo Apartment
One family has been displaced, and five of their pets were killed Sunday after a fire broke out inside a Silver Spring apartment.
SILVER SPRING, MD — An apartment fire displaced a family and killed several pets who were left at home over the weekend, authorities said.
Pete Piringer, a spokesperson with the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, said the fire broke out Sunday on the 11400 block of Lockwood Drive in Silver Spring when the family of four was not home.
A total of three dogs and two cats died in the incident.
Find out what's happening in Silver Springfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Update - Lockwood Dr, 3-level garden apt bldg, heavy smoke showing upon arrival, fire in bedroom on terrace level extinguished, several pets (3) dogs/1 cats located, but unfortunately pets did not survive, no injuries reported, ~55 FFs on scene, Weather on scene rainy & temp 35° https://t.co/9mRI9rXTey pic.twitter.com/G2f9uPghuc
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) February 22, 2026
Early findings indicate the fire originated in a bedroom and that it was likely an electrical failure. Piringer said in an X post that the garden apartment was not equipped with code-compliant fire sprinklers.
Damages are estimated to be over $200,000.
Find out what's happening in Silver Springfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Roughly 55 firefighters were said to have reported to the scene, according to Piringer.
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