SILVER SPRING, Md. — Editor's Note: This story, originally published Feb. 23, has been updated to correct contradictory information supplied by county officials regarding the operation of elevator lobby smoke detectors.
As friends of a 25-year-old woman killed in an apartment fire gathered in Silver Spring Thursday to honor her life, building residents say they're not satisfied with management response to complaints that fire alarms did not sound in time to save her.
Melanie Diaz was killed Sunday while trying to escape a high-rise fire at the Arrive Silver Spring apartment building on Georgia Avenue. She was overcome by smoke in a stairwell with her two dogs as she tried to get out of the burning building. The fire also put 19 other people in the hospital, including three firefighters.
Witnesses and residents said they believe alarms were delayed until a heroic resident of the seventh floor crawled through smoke down one level to find and activate a manual alarm on a wall.
After days of silence, the operators of the building, Trinity Property Consultants -- a California-based affiliate of a $20 billion real estate investment firm operating numerous other high rises in the region -- sent WUSA9 a written statement:
"We can confirm that all fire systems within the building were in working order and were up to date on all code and fire safety requirements. The most recent inspection was completed in July 2022 with no code violations noted. The building fire panel was inspected both before and after the fire to confirm the panel was in operable condition. All pull stations that were pulled during the event functioned as intended. All fire detectors were up to date on their inspections and certifications. All smoke detectors were in working order."
In a background briefing with WUSA9 Thursday morning, Montgomery County authorities said the building had been inspected on Feb. 7, 11 days before the deadly fire. No citations or violations were issued, and authorities say they are now reviewing their reports for accuracy.
According to Montgomery County Fire Rescue, investigators have determined the fire was accidental and started in a unit on the seventh floor.
“Smoke alarms activated," county fire spokesman Pete Piringer wrote in an email to WUSA9. "The fire alarm operated as designed. The alarm was delayed, because the occupants tried to fight the fire before they called the fire department."
Authorities explained that each unit has its own smoke alarm. But those are not connected to a main system that would trigger a general alarm for the whole building.
There is also a network of smoke detectors located in the elevator lobbies of each floor in the building. The detectors are designed to automatically regulate the use of elevators in the event of fire, but they also do not trigger a general alarm for the entire building, according to Fire Marshal Rick Merck.
Investigators say they’ve determined those smoke detectors worked as designed.
Francesca Gronowski, the mother of 7th floor fire survivor Gianna Gronowski has concluded that the smoke detection and alarm system is clearly inadequate for a high rise like Arrive Silver Spring.
"The idea a man had to crawl on his hands and knees through black smoke and risk his own life to pull a fire alarm is unacceptable," Gronowski said. "I don't understand that at all. Why would he have to do that?"
"No smoke detectors went off," Gronowski said her daughter told her.
"They did not wake up until they heard a main alarm that was pulled. Otherwise I don't think they would have survived."
Gronowski believes there should be smoke detection technology that would trigger a general alarm.
The building dates back to the 1960s, when sprinkler systems were not required. A retrofit adding sprinklers will be required by 2033.
There have been no charges, or code violations cited in the wake of this tragedy. Fire authorities say their investigation is finished.
WATCH: Vigil held for Melanie Diaz, killed in apartment fire at Arrive Silver Spring.