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Three young girls die in Silver Spring apartment blaze
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Related Topics: SILVER SPRING, Md.
SILVER SPRING, Md. (Map, News) - Three young girls are dead and their mother is in critical condition after a fire broke out in their Silver Spring apartment early Thursday morning.
Thirty-year-old Elsie Nuka, 4-month-old Makenzie Foncham and her sisters, 2-year-old Megan and 4-year-old Chanelle, were found unconscious and not breathing when firefighters arrived at their ground-floor apartment at about 5 a.m. Thursday, Montgomery County fire spokesman Pete Piringer said.
The girls died a short time later at local hospitals, and Nuka was in critical condition at Baltimore Shock Trauma, he said.
Piringer said the fire was “relatively confined,” but 60 firefighters from both Montgomery and Prince George’s counties responded to the incident after numerous 911 calls reported smoke coming from the building at Windsor Court Apartments on Castle Boulevard off Briggs Chaney Road.
Investigators have ruled the fire an accident and believe it was caused when the mother got up in the middle of the night to sterilize baby bottles. Piringer said he believes a burner in the kitchen was left on and caused a plastic bottle warmer to ignite.
Nuka tried to put out the fire by unplugging the sterilizer and throwing some of the burning materials into a bathtub, but she was overcome by the smoke, Piringer said.
The damage to the apartment building is estimated to be about $60,000, Piringer said.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Comments from Examiner Readers
5:42 PM MST on Thu., Jun. 26, 2008 re: "Fire could summon 14th-century fear"
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12:16 PM MST on Thu., Jun. 26, 2008
re: "Fire could summon 14th-century fear"
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12:41 PM MST on Wed., Jun. 11, 2008
re: "Man’s grudge vanishes as blaze begins"
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10:06 PM MST on Tue., May. 20, 2008
re: "Residents find their apartment complex garage up in smoke"
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12:14 PM MST on Sat., Apr. 5, 2008
re: "Firefighters uncover marijuana at Mission district fire"
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8:11 AM MST on Tue., Mar. 18, 2008
re: "Fire spreads through Mission apartments"
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7:22 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 17, 2008
re: "Man’s grudge vanishes as blaze begins"
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10:08 PM MST on Wed., Mar. 12, 2008
re: "Man’s grudge vanishes as blaze begins"
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10:53 AM MST on Fri., Dec. 7, 2007
re: "Chief took $1,200 trip from Motorola"
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6:33 PM MST on Wed., Nov. 28, 2007
re: "Montgomery group homes seek help from county for fire safety"
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12:18 PM MST on Sun., Jul. 29, 2007
re: "Widow of firefighter remembers her husband"
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3:43 PM MST on Mon., May. 14, 2007
re: "Chief took $1,200 trip from Motorola"
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7:05 AM MST on Mon., May. 14, 2007
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7:17 AM MST on Tue., May. 8, 2007
re: "Five victims of Harford house fire identified by the fire marshal"
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Albert Franklin said:
75,000,000 died during the Black Plague starting with 1354! What percent of this were European Christians? How does this play with America's and West Indian's Christians who were also exterminated because of their Christianity? What dreaded diseases brought them down from San Francisco to Gilroy and who is responsible other than France? If October 31 marks "All Saints Day" in Europe, why do we call Mexico's "Days of the Dead," not "All Saints Day" when it begins on the following day: 1, 2, and 3 November?
8 agree | 6 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
This story reveals yet more fear mongering propagated by the media. The real story here is not the possibility of a plague, but the desperation of an Examiner reporter looking to scoop a story. Give me a break.
10 agree | 9 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
he should have let it burn ... only section 8 drug dealers and illegal aliens lived in the apartment
456 agree | 9 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
that's too bad. wish him the best of luck
11 agree | 9 disagree
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Seven said:
In the Mission, the surprise would be if they DIDN'T find marijuana.
10 agree | 9 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I live just one block from the Valencia fire i would like to give massive credit to the SFFD for the way they handled this fire.. Way to go guys and gals...
18 agree | 11 disagree
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Eddie House said:
I would like to know why the police & fire department refused to investigate and take action against the tenants that discarded cigarettes onto my boat cover, on the dry grass area around my stack of firewood. On two occasions I found burned wood laminate strips placed on my deck and dry grass near the boat. But most of all want to know why after 12 or more false calls of burning trash “ and the city knows damn well they were FALSE CALLS as they broke into my home only to find firewood in the EPA woodstove” WHY DID YOU CONTINUE TO HARRASS ME ? AND NOT TAKE ACTION ON THE TENANTS THAT MADE THESE FALSE CALLS OF TRASH BEING BURNED?
495 agree | 10 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
When your being evicted from your apartment, you go out with a blaze of glory ? Or just another attempt to set fire to his boat that went all to wrong ? No cleaning or security depost refund for you ! But you are entitled to free room & board at the county jail !.
276 agree | 9 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I better watch out! I'll try not to cry... When Santa Claus comes to town I'll be wearing a frown when reporters get wind that; Citizens "took" gifts...instead of ; Citizens "received" gifts... Geeze!
181 agree | 189 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Very interesting and informative article. In Nashville Tn group home providers with less than 8 clients with disabilities are now required to have sprinkler system and many will close due to a lack funds. Who can I contact to get assistance? Perrion Gordon
196 agree | 197 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
i am allans daughter kaitlyn and i just wanted to say that he will be forever missed and that he loved doing wat he was i never loved any one theway a daughter loves a father. love, kaitlyn roberts
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Examiner Reader said:
Who cares?
362 agree | 365 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Why is this a story? It was $1,200 and the city reviewed and approved. Sounds like someone is trying to make something out of nothing. Shame on you.
508 agree | 364 disagree
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Precious Jenkins said:
i am one of the nieces of the decreased and the cousin of the mother. this is and was a terrible fire that took 5 members of our family. annette was my father's youngest sister and one of my godmother. my father just had lost a sister 1 year and 4 days before. and now he only have one sister. this fire made our family feel that life to short to be walking around and not talking and loving your family members. a family that prays together says together!!!
770 agree | 399 disagree
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