Neighbors recount moments large fire erupts out of Damascus home

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. ( DC News Now ) – Neighbors recounted the moment they saw a fire erupt from a house in Montgomery County.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) responded to a home fire along Primula Drive around 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

DC News Now spoke with two people who live in the Hawkins Landing neighborhood who were home when the fire that displaced a family of four first started.

“Got in the car,” David Dibert said. “I was sitting there for about three minutes or so, got out and I saw black smoke.”

After seeing the smoke, Dibert said he went to call 911.

“As soon as I hit the third one,” he said. “I heard sirens and the fire company was already here.”

Marci Jenkins says a large number of emergency vehicles responded to the house fire.

“I want to tell you up to 15 Fire and Rescue coming in, lining the neighborhood,” Jenkins said. “Very quickly, water trucks coming in.”

Both neighbors say the black smoke coming from the home quickly turned into flames.

“In literally like five minutes it was flaming,” Dibert said. “Very quickly. It went up very fast.”

He said all he saw were flames and smoke everywhere.

“It continued to do that for quite some time as the firefighters arrived,” Dibert said.

They say the sight of the home engulfed in flames evoked tons of emotions.

“Completely overwhelming,” Jenkins said, “Like stomach turning. Very, very upset, nervous, sad for the family.”

MCFRS says the family affected by the fire did not need Red Cross assistance.

“Tragedy sometimes will bring a community together,” Dibert said.

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