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Dozens of firefighters from the Clear Spring Volunteer Fire Department were called to a National Pike home in Clear Spring shortly before 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 6, when the homeowner advised that flames were showing in a second-floor bathroom.
In total, 58 firefighters responded, and it took an estimated 45 minutes to get the flames under control, which was made more difficult by a lack of a working smoke detector and the materials that had been stored inside the residence.
According to State Fire Marshal Brian Geraci, “hoarding is defined as collecting or keeping large amounts of various items in the home due to strong urges to save them or distress experienced when discarding them.
"This behavior can lead to the piling up of items like newspapers, magazines, empty containers, old clothing, paper, rotting food, animals, and occasionally animal manure inside or around a house.”
According to the NFPA, between 3 percent and 5 percent of the population struggle with hoarding, which increases the risk of fire because personal items may crowd cooking or heating equipment, increasing the likelihood of a fire breaking out.
“Occupants in these homes are at risk during a fire because blocked exits may prevent their escape, or materials could fall on them,” officials added.
“In addition, hoarding puts first responders at risk due to obstructed exits, falling objects, and excessive fire loading, and it impedes their ability to search out and rescue people and pets.”
Geraci noted, “our biggest goal is the life safety and health of not only of the person living within the home but anyone living around them.”
The fire did approximately $105,000 ($75,000 to the structure, $30,000 to its contents) in damage, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Officials noted that smoke alarms were present but not functional inside the hoarder’s home.
“Working smoke alarms can mean the difference between life and death. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), nearly 70 percent of fire deaths result from fires in homes with non-working smoke alarms or no smoke alarms at all,” officials said.
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