The West Lanham Hills deputy fire chief said his volunteer fire fighters were at a long-awaited celebration during a fatal fire last month, as members of New Carrollton’s City Council asked if anything could have been done differently to save a woman’s life.
"Looking at what the timeframes were, I don’t know if a minute or two minutes would have changed the amount of fire that was coming out of that house," Deputy Chief Scott Vasquez said during a council meeting Wednesday. "I’m here to tell you that we are saddened by what happened. Could the outcome have been different? I can’t tell you that for certain." The Jan. 18 fire on Inlet Street killed Anita Ellis, a beloved bus driver with the Prince George’s public school system. Three of the closest fire houses were without staff, leading a fourth and farther fire house to respond.