Silver Spring Apartment Fire Ruled Accidental: Authorities

A fire that ravaged a Silver Spring apartment building last week hospitalizing more than a dozen people has been ruled accidental and was started by a maintenance worker, county officials said on Monday, March 7.

Crews working onsite of the Friendly Apartment fire in Silver Spring.
Photo Credit: *Pete Piringer*

David Cifarelli

03/07/2022 5:39 p.m.

The worker accidentally cut a gas pipe that he thought was a drainage pipe, sparking the blaze at the Friendly Garden Apartments on Lynttonsville Road, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue (MCFRS) Chief Scott Goldstein said.

The cut pipe caused an explosion and a fire to erupt. The exact source, however, remains unknown.

The pipes were not labelled and there were concerns about the training of that worker who started the fire, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said. He hoped that making proper adjustments to both these areas could prevent future incidents.

In addition, 12 out of the 14 injured were discharged from the hospital as of Monday. One person remained in critical care, according to Chief Goldstein. Various efforts are still being done to help those displaced by the fire.

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