John Matthews
WMAL.com
COLLEGE PARK — (WMAL) Fire hoses were trained on two rooftop hotspots at the Fuse 47 apartment building in College Park Tuesday morning, some 20 hours after a fifth floor fire in the complex grew into a five-alarm monster inferno that became one of the largest fire-suppression efforts in Prince George’s County history.
At its height, nearly 200 firefighters from several jurisdictions were called to the scene to fight the fire, which has caused about 40 million dollars in damage.
The neavy smoke from the fire prompted the University of Maryland to shut down for the day on Monday afternoon, and forced the evacuation of a senior living facility next door. Some residents of the Gladys Noon Spellman facility did return home Monday night.
The Fuse 47 apartment complex was set to open this summer with 275 apartment units marketed to young professionals. Several high-tech amenities were planned, including keyless entry for residents. The building was also to offer a full-size gym for residents, social gathering rooms, a full-service bicycle garage and workshop, along with retail shops and other facilities.
Fire officials are now concerned about a building collapse, citing the damage caused by the fire and the vast amount of water poured into the building.
Crews are expected to remain on scene at the building for much of Tuesday.
Copyright 2017 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (PHOTO: P.G. Fire/Mark Brady)
