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Cause Of $2M Fire At Maryland Farm Identified By Investigators

New details have been released by the Maryland Fire Marshal after an area farm was destroyed and flames caused an estimated $2 million in damages.

The two-alarm fire broke out shortly after 12:25 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at Calloway Family Farm, located on the 8300 block of Athol Road in Mardela Springs, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office.

While the blaze raged, buildings, equipment, and vehicles were turned to ash, officials said.

The farm owner discovered the fire and alerted authorities, and by the time firefighters arrived, flames had already consumed much of the property. 

More than 50 firefighters from the Mardela Springs Fire Department and surrounding agencies battled the inferno for over two hours before bringing it under control.

No injuries were reported. 

On Thursday afternoon, investigators said that "after sifting through fire debris and interviewing numerous witnesses at the fire scene, Deputy State Fire Marshals cannot rule out the fire spreading from a nearby pile of trash that was legally being burned the day before the fire." 

Employees of the farm noticed the controlled burn of the trash had reignited the day of the fire and shortly there after winds increased in the direction of the buildings causing nearby brush and natural cover to ignite and spread to the buildings

Officials confirmed that the farm did not have a smoke alarm, fire alarm, or sprinkler system in place at the time of the fire.

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