A fire on Lake Potomac Drive destroyed five vehicles, an enclosed trailer and scorched nearby brush on Friday, causing roughly $20,000 in damage. No one was injured.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service crews, including Pumper Engine 730, responded to the scene around 3 p.m. after the call came in as a vehicle fire. When firefighters arrived, the blaze had already spread well beyond a single car.
MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer said the owner of one of the vehicles had used a battery jump pack on the car's battery and noticed smoke shortly after. The fire then spread rapidly to the other vehicles, the trailer and surrounding brush.
Crews fought the flames in triple-digit heat.
The cause remains under investigation. Piringer noted the battery jump pack as a potential factor, but MCFRS has not announced a timeline for releasing findings.
No structures were damaged, and no residents were displaced.
Anyone with information about the fire can contact the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service or the MCFRS Fire Investigations unit.




