4 people rescued from Germantown apartment fire

Montgomery County firefighters rescued four people from the balconies of a Germantown apartment building early Tuesday, after a fire in the lobby area of the building prevented them from leaving on their own, authorities said.

No one was seriously injured in the blaze at the garden-style apartment building in the 12200 block of Eagles Nest Court, though one person suffered minor smoke inhalation, assistant fire chief Scott Graham told WRC-TV (Channel 4).

Firefighters were called to the building at 4:40 a.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Graham said firefighters removed four people -- adults and teenagers -- who were trapped on their balconies. He said the blaze began in the lobby area and spread to the second floor of the three-story building.

-- By Debbi Wilgoren