US States News

PIKESVILLE, Md. - A 34-year-old woman died this morning in an early morning, two-alarm fire in a Pikesville area apartment complex. Police identified the victim as Kristen Chencus. She was the only occupant of the first-floor apartment.

Baltimore County 911 received a call at 1:15 a.m. for an apartment fire at 6603 Copper Ridge Drive in the Bonnie Ridge Apartment complex, just off of Smith Avenue. The first arriving engine, from Brooklandville Station #14, confirmed a fire on the first floor of a two-story garden apartment. Fire personnel quickly upgraded the response to a second alarm, which brought additional resources to the scene. Fire personnel immediately began a primary search and evacuation of the building, focusing on confinement and extinguishment of the fire. During their search, they located a single victim in the bedroom of the building. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Crews brought the fire under control in 36 minutes. Fire crews confined the fire to two apartment units; three other units suffered some damage. County emergency management officials responded to the scene and worked with apartment management officials to find shelter for six to eight people who were displaced by the fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Damage to the apartment complex is estimated at $300,000 for structural damage and $100,000 in contents, a total of $400,000. Twenty pieces of fire apparatus responded, with about 75 fire personnel from the Baltimore County Fire Department. Smoke detectors are required in apartments under the fire code, and a smoke detector was found in the apartment of the decedent. However, investigators have not determined if it was functional at the time of the fire.

The Baltimore County Fire Department reminds all citizens to regularly check all smoke detectors and confirm their proper operation, and als to practice a home escape plan

Copyright 2009 HT Media Ltd.
All Rights Reserved
June 5, 2009