Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a a call for smoke reported on the seventh floor of an 18-story residential building, The Pointe, at 8750 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring on Saturday morning.
According to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer, the building was being evacuated around 6am on Saturday morning with firefighters assisting people out. At 6:23am, Piringer tweeted that numerous people were trapped, mostly on balconies, and that several people were being treated for smoke inhalation. As of 7:20am, six people have been transported to the hospital and Georgia Avenue is closed in the area of Downtown Silver Spring (along with other roads). Initially a 2-alarm fire, Piringer later tweeted that it has become a third alarm fire.
Third alarm fire on Georgia Avenue, media staging area, Spring Street and Georgia Avenue. update thus far (6) six people have been transported to the hospital
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) February 18, 2023
“A three-alarm fire call will bring triple the amount of firefighters, trucks, and equipment to the scene of the fire. Any fire alarm dispatch that goes past 2 is considered a very big fire that could take considerable time to completely extinguish. Along with the additional firefighters and units that go out for a 3 alarm fire, the department may also send out a media relations crew to deal with journalists, and even a truck stocked with snacks and electrolyte drinks to keep firefighters sustained.”