Windsor Mill fire destroys apartment units
County fire officials say 60 to 80 residents displaced
Baltimore County fire officials said between 60 and 80 people from about 24 apartment units were displaced Saturday after a two-alarm fire in Windsor Mill.
Fire officials said that shortly after 2 p.m. the department received multiple calls regarding a blaze in the 2400 block of Bytham Court.
Baltimore County Fire Department Battalion Chief Rob Kemp said that as units arrived, they found heavy fire extending from the lower level through the roof. The fire was under control at 4:30 p.m., but around 5:30 p.m. firefighters were still extinguishing flames.
“Crews are working to extinguish hot spots,” which were difficult to access because floors and the roof had caved in, Kemp said.
There were no injuries to residents or firefighters reported.
Kemp said he believed the building was a complete loss, noting the roof collapse and smoke and water damage in adjoining spaces. He said the cause of the fire was under investigation, adding that when they arrived a gas line was actively burning.
Kemp said the Red Cross and the building’s property management company were assisting displaced residents.
Resident Teresa Koger was away from her home when she received news that her first-floor apartment was on fire.
“I got a call from [a] neighbor” and rushed home, she said.
Koger and other residents were waiting for officials from the Red Cross to arrive Saturday afternoon. She said building officials had mentioned placing residents in other units at the apartment complex. Representatives for the company could not be reached for comment.
Lenore Koors, a spokeswoman for the Red Cross, said later that the organization had responders at the scene and was working with property managers to identify units to help those displaced. She said the agency would also help people with food and clothing allowances, if needed.