Carroll County firefighters respond to fire at Vetville in Westminster

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Carroll County volunteer firefighters from throughout the county responded Sunday afternoon to a laundry room fire at “Vetville” in the 100 unit block of Wimert Avenue, near Sullivan Avenue and Route 140 in northwest Westminster.

The complex, known locally as “Vetville,” dates back to 1946, when the housing units were built “by the government for the GIs who are attending or will attend Western Maryland College under the GI Bill of Rights,” according to a newspaper account in the now-defunct Democratic Advocate.

“A one-story construction, set up on cement blocks, with a brick-like celetex finish, they will fill the hopes of many GIs who plan to finish their education with their families. The apartments are made up of living room, two bedrooms, two closets and a kitchen, to be fully equipped with sink, stove and refrigerator…”

It is believed that the last fire occurred in Vetville on November 2, 2003, when, “A two-alarm fire … destroyed a four-unit apartment building in Westminster, but its eight residents, including two children, escaped without injuries,” according to an article in the Baltimore Sun.

On Sunday, at approximately 2:48 in the afternoon, a call came into central alarm for a building fire in one of the units. Upon the arrival of Westminster volunteer fire department tower 3 and engine 33 on the scene; firefighters found fire evident on two sides of an end unit.

A working fire dispatch alarm was sounded at approximately 2:55 p.m., and firefighters and equipment from Pleasant Valley, Lineboro, Reese, and New Windsor quickly joined Westminster firefighters who proceeded to aggressively attack the fire from the interior of the building; in a successful attempt to prevent the fire from spreading throughout the rest of the units in the “row home” construction.

The fire was declared substantially under control at 3:04 p.m., but not until two additional apartment units were damaged. Jim Starry, chief 3-1, for the Westminster volunteer fire company, said the fire was completely out by around 4:09 p.m.

Firefighters and equipment remained on the scene for several another hour and a half for clean-up and to assist the Maryland fire marshal’s investigation.

The fire remains under investigation. Three apartments were damaged and three households were displaced. The families affected by the fire were being assisted by the local Carroll County chapter of the American Red Cross.

All firefighting equipment had left the scene by 5:30. There were no reported injuries.