Government

Fire at Wayne K. Curry Building Injures One, Traps People in Elevators

A fire at the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building injured one person and briefly trapped people in elevators, prompting an emergency response and potential service disruptions.

James Thompson2 min read
Published
Listen to this article0:00 min
Share this article:
Fire at Wayne K. Curry Building Injures One, Traps People in Elevators
Source: patch.com

A fire at the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building in Largo injured one person and left several people briefly stuck in elevators before crews brought the situation under control. Prince George's County firefighters responded to reports of smoke and elevator entrapments and found an injured person who was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

The incident occurred around 10:28 a.m. on Jan. 21, 2026, at the county administration complex at 1301 McCormick Dr. Firefighters worked to free occupants trapped inside elevators and to secure the scene. No additional injuries were reported by responding crews, and the extent of property damage has not been released.

AI-generated illustration

The Wayne K. Curry Administration Building houses multiple county offices and is a hub for resident services. An emergency at that location immediately affects people who come to file paperwork, seek permits, attend meetings, or work in county government. County employees and visitors encountered delays and uncertainty while emergency personnel cleared the site and checked for hazards.

Local authorities have not yet released information about the fire's cause. Prince George's County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department handled the response and will likely coordinate any follow-up inspections and an investigation to determine how the blaze started and whether building systems functioned as intended. Those outcomes will be important for officials assessing fire safety and elevator performance in public buildings.

For residents, the episode underscores practical concerns: the safety of county facilities, the reliability of elevator rescue procedures, and how quickly services can be restored after an emergency. People who planned to visit the administration building in the days after the incident should expect possible schedule changes and should check Prince George's County government communications for updates on office hours and access.

Beyond immediate disruptions, incidents like this tend to prompt reviews of maintenance, emergency preparedness, and public communication. County leaders and building managers will need to provide clear information about any temporary service relocations, inspection results, and next steps to restore full operations.

This event is a reminder that routine trips to government offices can be interrupted by unexpected emergencies. Residents should follow official county channels for the latest information and be prepared for short-term adjustments to how and where county services are delivered.

Sources:

Know something we missed? Have a correction or additional information?

Submit a Tip

Never miss a story.
Get Prince George's, MD updates weekly.

The top stories delivered to your inbox.

Free forever · Unsubscribe anytime

Discussion

More in Government