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Amanda Nicole Altman, 41, of the unit block of Wolf Trap Court in White Marsh, has been identified by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner as the one fatality in a massive blaze that broke out in her townhouse, officials announced on Wednesday, Nov. 30.
First responders were dispatched to Wolf Trap Court at approximately 4 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 20, where there were reports of a fire that broke out with people trapped inside the building.
Upon arrival, officials say that firefighters were met by a townhouse that was engulfed in flames and had already started spreading to adjacent units.
Officials say that minutes after the initial dispatch, crews received reports that a woman was possibly trapped inside and the assignment was upgraded to a rescue.
After arrival, firefighters immediately began a search of the burning townhome but were not able to complete it because the structural condition deteriorated quickly, causing collapses and posing a severe safety risk.
Firefighters also quickly accounted for residents of the adjacent townhomes.
According to officials, the fire was under control shortly before 4:30 a.m. on Nov. 20, but while clearing the scenes, firefighters found Altman's body.
Altman suffered internal injuries before she could be rescued, according to investigators.
Baltimore County Police fire investigators confirmed that the fire started on the deck at the rear of the townhome, though the specific cause of the blaze remains unclear.
Though neighboring units were damaged on each side, no other injuries were reported. Investigators estimate the fire caused an estimated $750,000 in damages.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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