Woman Dies in Minor Apartment Fire: Officials

»Want more news? Subscribe to the daily Bowie email newsletter.

A woman found near the source of an apartment fire with burn injuries died Sunday, according to Prince George’s County Fire officials.

Firefighters from the Oxon Hill area were called to an apartment building Sunday morning in the 600 block of Audrey Lane and arrived to find smoke in the hallway.

When Firefighters entered a third-floor apartment where a smoke alarm was sounding they found a relatively small fire inside the apartment. The fire was quickly extinguished by firefighters, who then found a woman in the area where the fire began. She had suffered burn injuries and was pronounced deceased.

A working smoke alarm was found inside the apartment, but it had been taken apart. The base of the alarm was located in the hallway just outside of the sleeping area. However, the actual smoke alarm had previously been removed from the base and was inside a hallway closet. The alarm still was able to detect smoke and emitted an audible warning, fire officials said, although it was likely delayed due to its location.

The Prince George’s County Office of the Fire Marshal is investigating the cause and origin of the fire. As is standard operating procedure the County Police will assist with the investigation while a cause of the fire is determined. The fire’s cause currently is under investigation.

Fire damage was minimal and contained to the area of origin in the third floor apartment.

The identity of the deceased will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

»Site of fatal fire, from Prince George’s County Fire Department