WALDORF, Md. (February 8, 2007) - Deputy State Fire Marshals have determined a malfunctioning oil furnace ignited a blaze that heavily damaged the Bannister Neighborhood Recreational Center in Waldorf this afternoon. The 4:45 p.m. blaze at 1001 Armes Drive caused an estimated $300,000 damage to the one story, masonry and wood frame structure.
Over thirty firefighters from Waldorf, Westlake, La Plata, Hughesville, and Bryans Road were able to control the fire in the unoccupied building in thirty minutes. There were no injuries.
The investigation revealed fire from the oil furnace broke through a ceiling and quickly spread into the wood framed roof. The building was not equipped with, nor required to have, an automatic fire sprinkler system.