Ocean City condominium fire causes panic but no injuries

A fire that broke out in an Ocean City condominium resulted in a lot of commotion but, no injuries Tuesday afternoon.

Shortly before 3 p.m., the Ocean City and Bethany Beach Fire Departments responded to reports of a fire at the Orleans Court Condominiums at 140th Street in Ocean City.

According to an Ocean City Fire Department official at the scene, the fire was quickly extinguished.

"It looks like it started in the balcony on the third floor," said Captain Guy Rickards. "There were zero injuries and no one was found inside."

He said the fire was put out with one line.

Payton Chester, 13 of Union Town, Pennsylvania, was vacationing at the condominium for the week with her family. She said she panicked when she realized what was happening.

"I was sitting in the pool with my sisters when people started yelling," she said. "I ran to the apartment to grab what I could then just ran away and waited to see what would happen.

"I was so nervous and it was so stressful," she said.

Her father, Mark Bartok, echoed her statement.

"I heard Payton start screaming there was a fire, then I saw the smoke and it was just panic," he said. "I grabbed my and my wife's wedding rings and some money and then just ran."

A condo owner at Orleans Court, Brittny Taylor said she was thrilled with the response from fire officials.

"I'm just impressed at how quickly they got here," she said. "I smelled something from the pool right before I saw the smoke and heard everyone running around banging on doors."

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