CHARLOTTE HALL, Md. — A fire that severely damaged a Charlotte Hall residence on March 4 and left one person injured was caused by a debris fire that spread out of control due to strong winds, officials confirmed Wednesday.
According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office, the fire ignited outside a garage in the 38400 block of Pleasant View Drive and quickly spread to a detached 30-by-30-foot garage, an attached garage, and part of the home. Investigators determined that the flames originated from burning debris that was fanned by the wind, causing the fire to escalate rapidly.
A male resident of the home suffered minor burns and smoke inhalation. He was flown by Maryland State Police Trooper 7 to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore for treatment. The fire also caused minor damage to a neighboring home, officials said.
Fire crews from the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department, along with surrounding agencies, responded to the scene just after 12:36 p.m. Firefighters worked for an hour to bring the blaze under control as flames spread to nearby wooded areas, burning approximately 2.5 acres. Additional units were called in to handle multiple brush fires ignited by wind-blown embers.
Authorities reported that 75 firefighters battled the fire, which resulted in an estimated $100,000 in damages—$70,000 to the structure and $30,000 to its contents. The residence was not equipped with smoke alarms, investigators noted.
The American Red Cross has been assisting those displaced by the fire. Officials continue to remind residents to exercise caution when burning debris, particularly in windy conditions.
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Nat’l Weather Service issued a fire warning for Tues. 4 March…due to dryness and high winds. Guess this person didn’t think about the wind when they decided to go ahead and burn anyway.
That poor old school truck…. 🙁