Fire at Fort Meade

[Bill Stewart]

Fire strikes Army counter-espionage building
6-alarm blaze breaks out at Fort Meade, Md.
The Associated Press

Updated: 9:29 p.m. PT Oct 20, 2006

FORT MEADE, Md. - A fire at the Army base that houses the National Security 
Agency heavily damaged a building containing sensitive materials Friday 
afternoon, base officials said.

There were no serious injuries, officials at Fort Meade said.

The six-alarm fire at Fort Meade started shortly before 4 p.m. in a 
building whose contents are sensitive in nature, said Fort Meade 
spokeswoman Jennifer Downing.

The building contains the 902nd Military Intelligence Group Command, the 
Armys largest counter-espionage unit, according to the groups Web site.

Lt. Col. James Peterson, director of emergency services at Fort Meade, 
would not say what kind of work was going on inside Building 4554.

Strong winds hampered efforts to contain the blaze at the three-story brick 
building, which was evacuated. Part of the roof collapsed onto a lower 
floor before the fire was contained.

We dont really know the cause. We just know it started on the roof of the 
structure, Peterson said.

Minor construction was under way in the area of the roof where the fire 
started, Peterson said. There was no damage estimate.

The Army base, between Baltimore and Washington, has about 39,000 employees.
) 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be 
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URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15354940/