Bill Would Require Smoke Escape Hoods in Apartment Buildings
StewartSep 16, 2026
Councilmember Kate Stewart introduced a bill on September 15, 2026, requiring multi-family residential buildings in Montgomery County to have smoke escape hoods readily available on-site. The legislation follows a donation in December that allowed the county's Fire and Rescue Department to begin using the hoods, and was spurred by advocacy from the family of Melanie Diaz, who died in a Silver Spring apartment fire in February 2023. A public hearing is scheduled for October 6 or October 13, 2026.
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Source: Councilmember Kate Stewart, “Keeping Up with Kate: Back in session”, received Sep 16, 2026.
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This alert didn't include additional links. The primary source is the county email cited above.
Key dates
2026-09-15
effective — Smoke escape hood requirement bill introduced
2026-10-06
hearing — Public hearing on smoke escape hood bill — October 6 or 13
2026-10-13
hearing — Alternate public hearing date for smoke escape hood bill
2023-02-01
event — Melanie Diaz died in a Downtown Silver Spring apartment fire (approximate date)
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