Crime & Safety

Update: Condition of Woman Whose Hair Ignited at Friendship Arms Undisclosed

The county Fire/EMS department believes the fire started when a woman's hair ignited.

Update, 4:30 p.m.: Prince George's County Fire/EMS spokesman Mark Brady said that an adhesive strip affixed to the curling iron ignited and spread to the injured resident's hair and clothes.

The current status of the woman's condition is not available due to patient privacy rules. She was transported to a burn center late Friday.

Original post, 11:28 a.m.: A fire at a Hyattsville's , a senior living facility, late on March 4 seriously injured one resident and displaced several others.  

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Just after 11 p.m. firefighters and paramedics were alerted to an apartment fire with one person burned. units arrived at 5805 42nd Ave., a seven-story senior citizen apartment building, and went to the top floor to investigate.

According to a report from Fire/EMS spokesman Mark Brady, it is believed that a seventh floor resident, a female in her 50s, was using a curling iron when combustible materials and substances on her hair suddenly ignited. The fire spread to her clothing and ignited other materials in the bathroom.

A residential sprinkler system activated and extinguished the fire. Firefighters ensured the fire was completely out and removed the seriously injured resident from the building. Paramedics initiated pre-hospital emergency care and tended to second- and third-degree burns to the patient's upper body. She was taken to a burn center in serious condition, Brady's press release stated.

Because of the sprinkler activation, damage was limited, with fire loss estimated at $1,000. However, the sprinklers caused water damage to apartments beneath the unit of of origin. Nine families were relocated due to water issues and having no utility service. Ten adults were displaced and five of them received help and alternate housing from apartment management and the. Other displaced residents made their own arrangements or stayed with family.

Personnel from the Fire/EMS Department, including the Citizens Services Unit, stayed on the scene into early Saturday morning assessing damaged units and facilitating relocation of displaced residents.

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