A car crashed into a townhouse and caught fire in Montgomery County, Maryland, Monday, seriously injuring the driver, officials said. Chopper4 and surveillance video show the crash and damage. News4’s Darcy Spencer reports.
A car crashed into a townhouse and caught fire in Montgomery County, Maryland, on Monday, seriously injuring the driver and leaving two people trapped on balconies, officials said. Several people were expected to be displaced.
A man in his 60s driving a white sedan crossed a grassy median and slammed into a townhouse in the 300 block of Orchard Ridge Drive about 3 p.m., Montgomery County fire officials said. Flames engulfed the car and parts of the townhouse.
A home surveillance camera placed inside the home captured the crash on video. The clip shows huge, red-orange flames and flashes of bright white light, along with smoke billowing around the car.
First responders forced their way into the car, pulled out the driver and began providing emergency care, officials said.
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The driver was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, officials said. He died of his injuries, Montgomery County fire officials said Tuesday.
Officials didn’t immediately give further details on why the driver may have crashed.
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The fire spread to the building, trapping people on balconies at the back of the townhouse. One person escaped with the help of a neighbor and a painter’s-type ladder. Another person was helped using a firetruck ladder, officials said.
The fire department and police department are investigating.
The blaze left windows on three stories of one building blackened and damaged a building next door.
Photos show siding peeling off the building as smoke billows from the car, which appeared to crash into the front door.
It’s unclear how many families can’t return to their homes.
Stay with News4 for more on this developing story.
