Photo courtesy of the Prince George’s County Professional Fire Fighters & Paramedics Association
UPDATE 1/04/2021: On Friday, January 1, 2021, at approximately 8:29 p.m., Prince George’s County Fire/EMS units were dispatched for a building fire with a report of people possibly trapped in the 2100 block of Alice Avenue in Oxon Hill.
Upon arrival, crews found a three-story garden style apartment building with a well-advanced fire showing from the first floor. The fire quickly extended up to the building roof and into an adjacent apartment building. A 2nd and 3rd alarm were sounded. Mutual aid units from Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Departments, and the Naval District Washington Fire and Emergency Services were dispatched.
In total, over 110 firefighters operated on the scene.
Initial reports indicated building occupants were trapped by the fire, but all searches were negative, and at this point in the investigation, it appears residents self-evacuated.
Crews extinguished the fire and there were no injuries or transports from the scene.
Approximately sixty-five residents from the affected buildings were displaced and are being assisted by the Prince George’s County Office of Emergency Management and the American Red Cross National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region.
During the course of fire operations, Prince George’s County Police identified and detained an adult female subject on the suspicion of arson, and for causing a disturbance. She was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct on Friday, January 1.
Fire investigators with our Office of the Fire Marshal later questioned the suspect who admitted to starting the fire.
Quiana Taliaferro of the 2100 block of Alice Avenue Oxon Hill was arrested and charged with felony First Degree Arson and misdemeanor Reckless Endangerment. First Degree Arson carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. Reckless Endangerment carries the possibility of 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
The Office of the Fire Marshal’s investigation determined the origin of the fire was a bedroom inside Taliaferro’s apartment and the cause of the fire was Incendiary. The damage estimate is set at $2,000,000.
1/02/2021: On Friday, January 1, 2020, at approximately 8:30 p.m., firefighters from Prince George’s County responded to 2162 Alice Avenue in Oxon Hill, for the reported apartment on fire.
Dispatcher reported they received multiple 911 calls, with one reporting three children possibly trapped in a third floor apartment.
Crews arrived on the scene to find a three-story garden style apartment complex and reported fire showing from the second floor.
Firefighters immediately made an interior attack on the second floor, with additional units making their way to the third floor to search for the trapped occupants. Crews reported all primary searches of the second and third floor apartments had negative results.
A short time later, crews requested the working fire dispatch and the 2nd alarm, with crews reporting one attack hose line failing, holes on the third floor of the apartment complex, along with the fire extending into the nearby apartments, the neighboring apartment complex, and roof of both complexes. Crews then called for a third alarm.
Police requested medical personnel occupants suffered smoke inhalation, however, Officials reported no injuries as of 11:00 p.m.
This is the fifth structure fire Prince George’s County Fire and Rescue crews responded to on Friday, January 1, 2021. Earlier in the day, firefighters responded to a fatal structure fire in Beltsville.
Updates will be provided when they become available.
1/02/2021 UPDATE: Prince George’s County Firefighters returned to scene of Friday’s 3-alarm fire on Saturday, January 2, and found a very upset young girl in the parking lot. She feared her kitten was gone forever. Battalion Chiefs Bird, and Miller went to her apartment and found the kitten “Love.” She said they made her day, when in fact she made theirs!
Photo courtesy of the Prince George’s County Professional Fire Fighters & Paramedics Association
