On This Day in FFD History

February 15, 2018 Events  No comments

On This Day In FFD History – February 14, 2014

ONE DEAD IN FROSTBURG COLLEGE RENTAL HOUSE FIRE

Lateef Gazal, a senior and Business Administration major from Bowie, MD, was killed in the fire. He was a member of Delta Sigma Pi, the professional business fraternity; the Marketing Association, and the African Student Association.

MD Deputy State Fire Marshal, Oliver Alkire, said investigators were trying to determine the cause of the fire in the two-story home at 144 Bowery Street. The building was a complete loss, with the second floor partially collapsing into the first floor, Alkire said. The victim’s remains were found on the first floor, but may have fallen from the upstairs level when the second-floor collapsed, he said.

The blaze was called in by one of the home’s occupants shortly after 5 a.m., he said. Alkire went on to say that one of the survivors jumped from a second-floor window, and the other escaped out the front door; both are males. They suffered minor injuries and were transported to Western Maryland Health Center. A fourth resident of the home wasn’t home when the fire broke out.

Alkire said firefighters were inside the house, battling the blaze, when they became aware of the impending second-floor collapse and backed out. He said firefighters were not hampered by snow from Thursday’s storm where about 22 inches fell Wednesday and Thursday in Frostburg, however nearby fire hydrants did have to be dug out by responding firemen

Fire officials say that smoke alarms were in the home but investigators were not able to determine if they operated. Nearly 75 firefighters from Frostburg and surrounding departments responded to this incident under the direction of Frostburg Fire Chief, Rich Atkinson. The home, owned by Judy Knieriem was a complete loss, say officials.

Photo courtesy Steve Bittner

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