A trash compactor in the basement of The Riviera of Chevy Chase condo building caught fire Tuesday night, leading to an evacuation of the building.
The fire started around 7:20 p.m. and led to hundreds of residents being evacuated from, according to fire department spokesman Pete Piringer. No one was injured in the incident.
Emergency workers closed East West Highway between Maple Avenue and Montgomery Avenue as well as a portion of Montgomery Avenue to deal with the fire. The Riviera is located at 4242 East West Highway.
Smoke from the fire spread throughout the building, according to Piringer, but firefighters were able to quickly extinguish it. The fire was ruled accidental in nature and caused an estimated $2,000 worth of damage, Piringer said.
