Leonardtown, MD – A fire that did $500 damage to the interior of a St. Mary’s County townhouse was deliberately set, state investigators reported. According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office, the blaze occurred Wednesday evening, April 5 on Lawrence Avenue in Leonardtown. The fire was discovered by a neighbor around 10:12 p.m. No injuries were reported.
“The investigation revealed the fire was intentionally set with an incendiary device and self-extinguished prior to spreading to other parts of the townhouse,” a deputy fire marshal’s report stated. “The investigation is continuing.”
Twelve firefighters were dispatched to the scene.
The incident was the second incident in two evenings involving a townhouse in the Southern Maryland region. Tuesday evening, April 4 shortly before 10 p.m. the Maryland Fire Marshal’s Office responded to a blaze on Hombeam Court in Waldorf. A joint investigation by the fire marshal’s office and the Charles County Sheriff’s Office revealed an unknown suspect or suspects entered the vacant townhouse, placed plastic items from inside the dwelling on a functioning stovetop burner and intentionally ignited it. “The items self-extinguished before the fire could spread to the rest of the townhouse,” the deputy fire marshal reported. Damage was estimated at $250.
The incidents do not appear related.
Anyone with information that could aid investigators is asked to call The Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Southern Regional Office at 443-550-6820 or the Arson Hotline at 1-800-492-7529.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com