Shortly before 4:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 30, a neighbor on Maulsby Avenue in Bel Air alerted firefighters to a possible incident on the front porch of a nearby home, officials said.
Upon arrival, crews from the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company located the fire on the front porch of the home, and nearly two dozen firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the flames before they spread too far into the interior of the residence.
Officials said that two occupants of the home were able to escape safely, and one used a garden hose to control the fire before first responders from the fire department arrived at the scene.
The initial investigation into the fire determined that it was accidental in nature due to improperly discarded smoking material. It caused an estimated $50,000 in damage to the structure of the home.
“Most of the fire was contained to the front porch, with minor extension into the home,” according to the fire marshal. “The occupants are temporarily displaced and are being assisted by family.”
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