Fire Causes $600K in Damages to Potomac Home

A Monday afternoon fire caused more than $600,000 in damages to a Potomac home in the 12400 block of Willow Green Court. 

Firefighters were sent to the scene of the fire shortly after 4 p.m. on Monday. The firefighters first to arrive "described heavy fire and smoke conditions and requested additional resources," Fire Chief Richard Bowers wrote in his Chief's Blog for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service.

"Two teenagers were home at the time of the fire and were able to safely escape after an alert neighbor walking her dog smelled smoke and went to investigate to locate the source. The neighbor saw flames to the rear of a home and quickly called 9-1-1, secured her dog to a nearby mailbox and ran to the home and began to pound on the front door of the home in an attempt to alert any occupants inside that the home was on fire. The teens inside narrowly escaped the blaze and officials are crediting the alert neighbor’s quick actions in helping the occupants escape safely," according to the blog.

Fire investigators have determined that the fire was accidental and that cooking materials placed outside to cool might have sparked the fire. Because of the extensive damage to the home, investigators were not able to determine if the home had functioning smoke alarms, Bowers added.

"One firefighter was injured and was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries and has been released. Approximately 80 fire rescue personnel responded and were on the scene at the height of firefighting operations and the American Red Cross was assisting the displaced family," Bowers wrote.