On Friday, July 28th around 3:05 a.m. Anne Arundel County firefighters were dispatched to a fire alarm sounding at the Coconut Charlie’s, located at 9129 Fort Smallwood Road. The call from the alarm company was quickly followed by 9-1-1 calls reporting a building fire at the establishment.
First arriving firefighters reported a fire on the side of the one story bar and grill. Further investigation found heavy fire in the attic area of the restaurant. A second alarm was requested, bringing 75 firefighters to the scene. The fire was extinguished in about 90 minutes, but not before causing extensive damage to the building.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by members of the Anne Arundel County Fire and Explosives Investigation Unit, and no dollar loss has been established. One firefighter received minor injuries following a fall from a ladder and was treated on the scene.
Update, July 29th, 11:30 a.m.
An investigation by members of the Anne Arundel County Fire and Explosives Investigation Unit has determined that the fire at Coconut Charlie’s Friday morning was intentionally set. Anyone with information, photos or video of the fire are encouraged to call (410) 222-TIPS or utilize the online form.
Damages from the fire have been estimated at $200,000.
This is an active criminal investigation and no additional details are available.
Contact: Captain Russ Davies
410-222-8305 (Office)
410-222-8746 (Media Line)