OCEAN CITY – The cause of a fire at a downtown Boardwalk apartment building has classified as electrical by the Ocean City Fire Marshal.
Around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, the Ocean City Fire Department was dispatched to a working fire at the Colony Apartments on the Boardwalk. First-arriving crews found smoke coming from the old apartment building on the Boardwalk at 3rd Street.
Around 10:15 p.m., a second alarm was struck, and more crews and apparatus responded and set up on the Boardwalk. Fire companies from Berlin, Ocean Pines and Showell responded to the second alarm. In addition, the utility company was called to the scene after it was determined a fire in the basement of the building was caused by faulty electric panels.
By 10:45 p.m., there was still an active fire from the electric panels in the basement. The fire was brought under control a short time later. By 11 p.m., command staff began releasing the second alarm units and by 11:30 p.m., all of the fire apparatus was cleared from the Boardwalk.
Ocean City Fire Department (OCFD) spokesman Ryan Whittington said this week the fire marshal’s office has classified the cause of the fire as electrical and there were no injuries reported. Whittington said the incident was a good reminder for property owners to evaluate their fire protection systems.
“The OCFD want to remind businesses to check all fire protection systems and have them inspected and maintained as required,” he said. “This is also a great time to remind our residents and businesses that having working smoke alarms provides early notification to occupants and can save lives.”
