A 2-alarm fire blazed this afternoon (Friday, July 27) in a group of apartment units in the Franklin Park apartment complex. The building has partially collapsed. 11 apartments are affected, nine of which are occupied – displacing 9 adults and 5 children who will be assisted by the Red Cross which was reported as on its way to help. No injuries have been reported at this time. The pillar of smoke could be clearly seen from Powder Mill Road and Kenilworth Avenue. Videos of the fire provided by PGFD can be viewed at https://twitter.com/hashtag/PGFD?
According to Brady, on-scene media were told by occupants of an odor of gasoline in same building yesterday. #PGFD investigated on Thursday and attributed odor to a lawnmower found in a 1st floor apartment. The cause and origin of today’s fire is under investigation.
The apartment complex was formerly known as Springhill Lake and also as Empirean Village before becoming Franklin Park. It is one of the largest such complexes in the area.
Information in this article is courtesy of Mark Brady of the P.G. Fire Department.