A boarded up fraternity house on Norwich Road was significantly damaged after a fire started in the basement early Sunday morning.
The fire department is looking at the possibility that the blaze was arson, but the investigation is still ongoing, said Mark Brady, chief spokesman for Prince George’s County Fire and EMS.
The building was abandoned in February 2002 after the university closed the Sigma Chi fraternity for violating Greek Life policies, said Matt Supple, assistant director of campus programs. There is no dollar loss on the building, which is not university-owned, as it was scheduled for demolition.
By the time firefighters arrived to put out the blaze, the basement was almost completely consumed, Brady said. The fire department is still investigating how the fire spread from there. No nearby buildings were affected, and fire fighters were able to extinguish it easily, Brady said.
One firefighter sustained minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital, Brady said. As of now, no one else was reported hurt in the blaze.
Brady could not comment as to whether there were any similarities between this fire and the ones that destroyed Lasick’s Beef and Seafood and damaged part of the Best Western Hotel on Nov. 30.
Although roads were blocked, Brady said Sunday morning traffic was light and no one was inconvenienced.
