Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service

An Internationally Accredited Public Safety Agency

NEWS ADVISORY
Richard Bowers, Fire Chief Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe Street, 12th Floor, Rockville, Maryland Assistant Chief Scott Graham, Public Information Officer Media line 240.777.2442 IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 3, 2011

Update: Aspen Hill Fire Victim Identified

Rockville - - - An Aspen Hill woman has died after being rescued from an early morning house fire by firefighters in Montgomery County. Sandra Vidas, 67 years old, has died at a local hospital. A second occupant of the home remains hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. This is the second residential fire fatality in Montgomery County this year. The cause of the fire in the 4700 block of Iris Street in Aspen Hill remains under investigation and damage estimates are $600,000. There were no working smoke alarms in the home. Firefighters will be out this evening canvassing the neighborhood, checking smoke alarms and handing out fire safety information to residents in the wake of this fatal fire in an effort to prevent another tragedy. Firefighters will also be out again across the County on Saturday as part of the departments annual Change Your Clock/Check Your Battery fire safety campaign. Fire Chief Richard Bowers is reminding all residents to install and regularly check residential smoke alarms and review their Home Escape Plans. Residents should know two ways out of every room in the home and have a predetermined meeting place. Residents in need of smoke alarms or batteries should call 311 for assistance. ###