Investigators from the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal have determined a fire that damaged a vacant one-story house on Patchwork Place in Waldorf was deliberately set. The blaze was reported by a passerby Nov. 5 shortly after 11 p.m. No injuries were reported and the total loss is estimated at $70,000. Deputy Chief Fire Marshal Duane Svites said authorities have not identified the owner of the house.
Over 40 firefighters from four Charles County and two Prince George’s County volunteer departments were dispatched to the one-alarm blaze and brought the flames under control in 20 minutes.
The investigation was handled by Dfm. Dexter Hodges with assistance from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office.
“The fire was determined to be incendiary due to an unknown suspect igniting combustible materials in a bathroom in the vacant, abandoned house,” Svites stated.
Anyone with information is asked to call the State Fire Marshal’s Southern Regional Office at 443-550-6832.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
