Berlin fires destroys the building

Berlin, MD

WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. — Flames and heavy smoke broke out Thursday night, causing significant destruction.

At the scene Friday, the devastation of the fire is visible, but what’s not as apparent is the overwhelming smell of burnt chemicals lingering in the air. Fire officials provided an update on the situation earlier today.

Chief Andy Grunden said, “We got a call just after lunchtime for a report of a building fire. As soon as everybody pretty much got on the road, you could tell you had a pretty significant and advanced fire going.”

Due to the scale and complexity of the blaze, first responders called for a second and third alarm, requiring assistance from surrounding stations. There was one person inside the building when the fire started.

“She was able to safely get out. There was another worker who suffered some smoke inhalation. He was treated and assessed on scene but did not want to be transported,” Grunden added.

Fire officials explained that a combination of strong winds and chemicals inside the building contributed to the intensity of the fire.

Willards Fire Chief C.K. Twilley said, “The fiberglass and the resin inside the building made the fire burn twice as hot as normal, which is why it was so intense for the crews that were first on the scene.”

Berlin Fire Company Chief Grunden also noted that crews initially worked to fight the fire from the inside and recover items the owner wanted salvaged. However, it soon became too dangerous to continue.

“The fire was too advanced and too deep-seated to keep sending people in, so we resorted to attacking it from the outside,” Grunden said.

The building was a total loss. Crews sprayed 200,000 gallons of water on the smoldering structure, with 24 agencies from three counties responding. They were on scene for 10 hours, but the investigation is ongoing.

“It’s an uphill battle for them to figure it out because there’s so much destruction and damage now. They’ve got a real task ahead of them trying to determine where it started,” Grunden said.