Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a commercial building fire early Monday morning at 11700 Exploration Lane, near Observation Drive in Germantown, the headquarters of Hughes Network Systems.
Units including PE734, PE729, PE708, PE722, E753B, T734, PAT708, RS729, M729, BC705, BC703 and others were dispatched around 1am following a reported fire alarm. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered smoke coming from a utility room where the fire had originated.
According to MCFRS officials, the fire was first detected by building security and was caused by an electrical failure in a large capacitor connected to a standalone air conditioning unit. The malfunction caused arcing, which produced sparks that ignited nearby combustibles.
The building’s sprinkler system activated and successfully contained the fire before it could spread. Firefighters quickly ensured full extinguishment and confirmed there were no injuries. Damage is estimated at approximately $750,000.
