Parole - A faulty light fixture caught fire in a bathroom at the Double Tree Hotel on Holiday Court yesterday evening, causing county firefighters to evacuate the building, which was hosting Wheel of Fortune tryouts.

Someone noticed smoke coming from a second-floor room of the hotel off of Riva Road in Parole just before 7:30 p.m. and called for help, said Lt. Frank Fennell, a county Fire Department spokesman.

A hotel manager and several maintenance workers used fire extinguishers to put out the small flames coming from the wall of a bathroom inside the suite, he said.

About 30 firefighters from various county and city fire stations responded to the hotel to ensure the fire was out, help evacuate guests, and investigate the cause, Lt. Fennell said.

Guests included those attending an event for the Wheel of Fortune game show, a hotel employee said.

Second-floor guests were relocated to other rooms because of the smoke, Lt. Fennell said.

Other guests were able to return to their rooms that evening, he said.

The fire was caused by a light fixture attached to the bathroom wall, and damages are estimated at $3,000, Lt. Fennell said.

This is the second time in about two months a small fire has started at the hotel. On June 28, a sixth-floor bathroom light fixture above the sink caught fire, causing smoke-related damages.

Bomb squad checks out suspicious item

BROOKLYN PARK - Part of a Brooklyn Park street was shut down for more than two hours yesterday while the Annapolis bomb squad investigated a report of an explosive device at a home, county Fire Department officials said.

A man told firefighters he'd obtained the device earlier that day and when he got home on 4th Avenue, discovered it might be an explosive, said Lt. Frank Fennell, a county Fire Department spokesman.

It is undetermined where the man got the device, or what it is made of, Lt. Fennell said.

At 4:50 p.m., firefighters evacuated four homes on the block until bomb squad members decided the device was safe. Residents were allowed back in their homes at about 8 p.m.

Firefighters are continuing to investigate the incident, Lt. Fennell said.

Recycling efforts make progress

ANNAPOLIS - More than 1,000 people have pledged to recycle more of their trash and a greater percentage of county residents are recycling following the county government's push to bolster the program, according to a county release.

Officials announced yesterday they saw a 3-percentage-point bump in the recycling rate since County Executive John R. Leopold began his "50-50 Challenge" campaign six months ago.

The goal is to get half of the county's residents to recycle and to get those who already recycle to keep 50 percent of their trash out of the landfill.

Currently, 34 percent of county refuse is recycled, up from 31 percent six months ago, according to county figures.

The initiative is aimed at saving the environment and delaying the exhaustion of the county's landfill, which is expected to be full by 2030.

More information about the county's campaign can be found at www.recyclemoreoften.com.

- From staff reports