At around 2 p.m. on Monday afternoon, first responders from the Susquehanna Hose Company responded to Otsego Street in Havre de Grace, where the owner reported a fire outside the family's home.
According to the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the homeowner burned miscellaneous items, including cardboard, in a fire pit earlier in the day and believed that the fire had been extinguished.
He later discovered a fire on the outside of his home, rapidly spreading to the home. It caused an estimated $350,000 in damage.
No injuries were reported. The house is considered a complete loss.
"Unintentional actions are the leading cause of outside fires," investigators said. The displaced residents and animals are now being assisted by Harford County Disaster Assistance.
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