ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A 74-year-old man died Tuesday, April 1, 2025, after a fire broke out in his 10th-floor apartment at a high-rise complex in Annapolis.
Firefighters with Anne Arundel County, assisted by the Annapolis Fire Department, were dispatched around 3 p.m. to 130 Hearne Road after receiving multiple 911 calls reporting a fire alarm and active sprinkler system in the building.
When crews arrived, they found smoke in the hallway and water flowing from the sprinkler system on the 10th floor. Firefighters forced entry into the affected apartment and discovered the resident, identified as John Wesley Blunt, unresponsive. Blunt was pronounced dead at the scene.
Anne Arundel County Fire investigators determined the fire was caused by smoking while using a medical oxygen unit. Officials say oxygen-enriched environments can rapidly accelerate the intensity of a fire.
The building’s sprinkler system contained the fire to the single unit, preventing further damage and protecting other residents.
“This is a tragic incident and a sobering reminder of the dangers of smoking while using oxygen,” a fire department spokesperson said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and loved ones.”
Blunt’s death marks the fourth fire-related fatality in Anne Arundel County this year. Two victims were killed in a February 20 blaze ruled accidental, and a third person died in a March 25 fire that remains under investigation.
Fire officials are urging residents to review safety tips on the department’s website and follow their social media channels for fire prevention guidance.
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