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Firefighting

Mulch-Fueled Inferno Still Burning Days After Maryland Garage Fire Ignites Debris Mulch-Fueled Inferno Still Burning Days After Maryland Garage Fire Ignites Debris
Mulch-Fueled Inferno Still Burning Days After Maryland Garage Fire Ignites Debris A massive fire at a Maryland recycling site is still burning days after it broke out, with crews unable to fully extinguish the flames due to the sheer amount of fuel feeding it, officials said. The blaze started shortly after 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, at a commercial garage on Ocean Gateway in Wye Mills, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Firefighters arrived to find not only the building on fire, but also large piles of mulch, lumber, and debris burning across the property. More than 100 firefighters responded to the scene, working across three alarms to try to get the fire u…
Snow Outside, Flames Inside: Middle-Of-The-Night Townhouse Fire Forces Maryland Residents Out Snow Outside, Flames Inside: Middle-Of-The-Night Townhouse Fire Forces Maryland Residents Out
Snow Outside, Flames Inside: Middle-Of-The-Night Townhouse Fire Forces Maryland Residents Out As snow piled up and temperatures dropped, firefighters were battling something far hotter in Maryland — a middle-of-the-night townhouse fire that forced residents out into the cold and lit up a quiet neighborhood with flashing lights and heavy smoke. Fire crews were dispatched to the 9800 block of Rainleaf Court in Columbia at approximately 2:05 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, after reports of a townhouse fire, according to the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services. The Howard County fire. Howard County Fire and Rescue Firefighters worked for roughly 90 minutes to bring the bl…
Tractor-Trailer Parts Ignite Blaze That Scorches Acre In Maryland: Fire Marshal (PHOTOS) Tractor-Trailer Parts Ignite Blaze That Scorches Acre In Maryland: Fire Marshal (PHOTOS)
Tractor-Trailer Parts Ignite Blaze That Scorches Acre In Maryland: Fire Marshal (Photos) What started as a pile of tractor-trailer parts turned into a fireball that scorched an acre of land in Allegany County, fire officials said. The blaze broke out around 3:05 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, in the 17400 block of Breakneck Road in Flintstone, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Investigators said the homeowner had pulled the engine out of a 1997 Freightliner the day before and set it next to a pile of mechanical parts and the truck cab.  By the next afternoon, black smoke was rising — and flames were chewing through the pile. The fire spread quickly, torching approxim…
Fire Erupts In Virginia Neighborhood As Home Explodes In Flames (PHOTOS) Fire Erupts In Virginia Neighborhood As Home Explodes In Flames (PHOTOS)
Fire Erupts In Virginia Neighborhood As Home Explodes In Flames (Photos) Flames tore through a Fairfax County home Monday afternoon, sending heavy smoke billowing into the air as dozens of firefighters fought to contain the blaze, officials said. Crews were dispatched around 4:45 p.m. on Sept. 8 to the 12200 block of Folkstone Drive in Herndon, where they arrived to find fire showing from all levels of the home, according to Fairfax County Fire/Rescue. The scene of the Fairfax County fire. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Photos from the scene show walls engulfed in flames and thick black smoke as firefighters stretched multiple hose lines and raised ladde…
Maryland Home Torched Twice: Cameras Catch Arsonist Running From Burning Building Maryland Home Torched Twice: Cameras Catch Arsonist Running From Burning Building
Maryland Home Torched Twice: Cameras Catch Arsonist Running From Burning Building A Maryland home that went up in flames earlier this year was set on fire again — this time with security cameras catching the arsonist in the act, officials said. The blaze broke out around 1 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23 at a vacant residence on Augustine Herman Highway in Kennedyville, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Security cameras from the Kennedyville Volunteer Fire Company captured a suspect igniting a fire on the outside of the home before bolting from the scene, investigators said. The property, now owned by Francis Bonass, is no stranger to fire crews. Investigators bel…
Fundraiser Launched For Daughters Of Maryland CNA Shot Before Pennsylvania Fire Fundraiser Launched For Daughters Of Maryland CNA Shot Before Pennsylvania Fire
Fundraiser Launched For Daughters Of Maryland CNA Shot Before Pennsylvania Fire A fundraiser has been launched to support the daughters of a Maryland CNA and mother of three who was killed in a Stewartstown Borough home before it caught fire. Jennifer Troch, 41, and Michael Shores Jr., 54, both of the first block of North Main Street, were found unconscious on the second floor of a burning home at 2 North Main Street on Sunday, Aug. 3. Firefighters forced entry, carried the pair out in cardiac arrest, and rushed them to WellSpan York Hospital, where they were pronounced dead. Autopsies confirmed both died from gunshot wounds to the head, according to the York County Cor…
No Arson Found In Maryland Fire That Killed 6 — Cause Remains A Mystery After Deadly Blaze No Arson Found In Maryland Fire That Killed 6 — Cause Remains A Mystery After Deadly Blaze
No Arson Found In Maryland Fire That Killed 6 — Cause Remains A Mystery After Deadly Blaze Six people — including four children — were killed in a Sunday morning house fire in Waldorf, and Maryland officials say the cause remains under investigation. The Office of the State Fire Marshal announced Monday, Aug. 11, that investigators have found no evidence of arson but are still working to determine what started the multi-fatal blaze. Part of the investigation includes determining whether smoke alarms were activated during the fire, Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray said. “We must methodically examine every possible fire cause and contributing factor,” Mowbray said. “Dete…
Loud Boom, Then Flames: Solar Panels Blamed For Roof Fire In DMV Home Loud Boom, Then Flames: Solar Panels Blamed For Roof Fire In DMV Home
Loud Boom, Then Flames: Solar Panels Blamed For Roof Fire In DMV Home A fire that erupted on the roof of a Virginia home was caused by a solar panel malfunction, officials said. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue crews were called to the 2300 block of Colts Brook Drive around 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 3, where crews arrived to find flames showing from rooftop solar panels, the department said. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the roof — no injuries were reported. According to the department, residents heard a loud noise inside before seeing smoke from the roof. Everyone evacuated safely. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue “Smoke alarms were present thr…
Bomb Squad Called After Pipe Bomb Scare In Maryland — ‘No Threat,’ Officials Say Bomb Squad Called After Pipe Bomb Scare In Maryland — ‘No Threat,’ Officials Say
Bomb Squad Called After Pipe Bomb Scare In Maryland — ‘No Threat,’ Officials Say A suspicious item found during a brush fire in Salisbury triggered a bomb squad response and multi-agency investigation Monday afternoon — but officials say it turned out to be non-hazardous. Firefighters with the Salisbury Fire Department were called to the area of the 200 block of E. Market Street around 12:15 p.m. on July 7, where they discovered an object resembling a PVC pipe bomb, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The Bomb Squad was immediately requested to evaluate the scene.  Bomb Technicians conducted diagnostics on the item, and after a thorough check, they …
Maryland Firefighter Dies A Hero — Now His Family’s Mortgage Is Paid For Life Maryland Firefighter Dies A Hero — Now His Family’s Mortgage Is Paid For Life
Maryland Firefighter Dies A Hero — Now His Family’s Mortgage Is Paid For Life The family of fallen Baltimore firefighter Rodney Pitts III is receiving a powerful act of support following his line-of-duty death: their mortgage is being paid in full. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation announced it has paid off the mortgage on the Baltimore home where Pitts lived with his fiancée, Natasha, and their three children: Harper, Arianna, and Hendrix. Pitts, 31, was killed in the line of duty while battling a rowhouse fire on Oct. 19, 2023, in Baltimore City.  He was one of two firefighters who lost their lives that day.  The original incident drew citywide mourning a…
‘Priceless’ Historic Silver Spring Farmhouse Built In 1792 Destroyed In Fire: Officials ‘Priceless’ Historic Silver Spring Farmhouse Built In 1792 Destroyed In Fire: Officials
‘Priceless’ Historic Silver Spring Farmhouse Built In 1792 Destroyed In Fire: Officials A 230-year-old piece of Montgomery County history was reduced to charred rubble after a massive fire tore through a landmark farmhouse in Sandy Spring, officials confirmed. The blaze broke out around 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 18, at Harewood Farm, located at the end of Meeting House Road.  The historic home, built in 1792, was unoccupied at the time of the fire, according to Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service spokesperson Pete Piringer. Firefighters arrived to find flames tearing through all three floors of the structure.  Twitter/@mcfrsPIO Early reports indicated a poss…
Maryland Family Welcomes Baby, Then Loses Everything In Lightning-Fueled House Fire Maryland Family Welcomes Baby, Then Loses Everything In Lightning-Fueled House Fire
Maryland Family Welcomes Baby, Then Loses Everything In Lightning-Fueled House Fire One day after welcoming their newborn daughter into the world, a Maryland family lost everything in a freak lightning-sparked house fire — including their home, belongings, and beloved pet. The devastating blaze broke out shortly before 9:50 p.m. Friday, May 30, on Gunpowder Road in Hampstead, just as thunderstorms rolled through northern Baltimore County, according to the Hereford Volunteer Fire Company. Firefighters arrived to find flames tearing through a two-story home, with fire showing from the front and side of the structure. “(Crews) assumed first due engine responsibilities and es…
PA Fire Chief Dies During Wildland Fire Training PA Fire Chief Dies During Wildland Fire Training
PA Fire Chief Dies During Wildland Fire Training A longtime Dauphin County fire chief died while mentoring fellow wildland firefighters in Cumberland County, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced on Friday, May 30. David Warfel, the current chief of the Carsonville Volunteer Fire Company and a beloved figure in Upper Dauphin County’s firefighting community, collapsed Thursday, May 29 at the DCNR’s Wildland Fire Academy hosted at Shippensburg University. Warfel was instructing and mentoring wildland firefighters during the training session when he passed away, DCNR officials said. He also served as th…
Retired Maryland Firefighter Raped Junior Firefighter At Home, Station In The 90s, Police Say Retired Maryland Firefighter Raped Junior Firefighter At Home, Station In The 90s, Police Say
John Inman Accused Of Raping Junior Firefighter In Maryland A retired firefighter in Maryland has been charged with raping a teen junior firefighter at his home and inside a fire station in the 1990s, authorities announced on Tuesday. John Inman, 61, of Myrtle Beach, is facing second-degree rape and child abuse-custodian charges after turning himself in on Friday, May 17, according to the Prince George’s County Police Department. Detectives say the victim was between 13 and 17 years old when Inman, a paid firefighter at the time, sexually assaulted them several times from 1991 to 1996. The assaults happened at Inman’s home and at the Hyattsville Fi…
Maryland Firefighter On Life Support To Save Dozens Of Lives With Organ Donation, Family Says Maryland Firefighter On Life Support To Save Dozens Of Lives With Organ Donation, Family Says
Maryland Firefighter On Life Support To Save Dozens Of Lives With Organ Donation, Family Says Baltimore is standing still as the community prepares to say goodbye to one of its own—a hero who never stopped putting others first. Fire Lt. Mark Dranbauer, a 23-year veteran of the Baltimore City Fire Department, remains on life support after suffering a devastating medical emergency while working a fire scene earlier this week, officials announced. He fell down a ladder while battling a blaze on West Sarasota Street in downtown Baltimore on Monday, according to CBS. While his injuries are too severe to survive, Mark’s story isn’t over.  In true firefighter fashion, his family say…
Veteran Firefighter In DMV Dies Suddenly: ‘He Made Everyone Around Him Better’ Veteran Firefighter In DMV Dies Suddenly: ‘He Made Everyone Around Him Better’
Veteran Firefighter In DMV Dies Suddenly: ‘He Made Everyone Around Him Better’ Firefighter Lloyd Edwards always showed up. On the job. In the gym. For his crew. For his friends. For his family. Now, they’re all showing up for him. The Arlington County Fire Department is mourning the sudden loss of one of its own after the unexpected death of Edwards on Monday, May 5, leaving a deep void in the firehouse, and a community heartbroken. “Beloved by all, Firefighter Edwards was known for his kindness, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to service,” department officials said. “He will be profoundly missed.” We’re heartbroken by the loss of Firefighter Lloyd Edwa…
Bonfire Left Burning Sparked 15,000-Acre NJ Wildfire, 19-Year-Old Man Charged: Prosecutor Bonfire Left Burning Sparked 15,000-Acre NJ Wildfire, 19-Year-Old Man Charged: Prosecutor
Bonfire Left Burning Sparked 15,000-Acre NJ Wildfire, 19-Year-Old Man Charged: Prosecutor A 19-year-old New Jersey man has been charged with setting the massive wildfire that scorched 15,000 acres and destroyed a commercial building this week, officials announced. Joseph Kling, of Ocean Township (Waretown), was charged with Aggravated Arson and Arson in connection with the Tuesday, April 22 blaze, according to a joint statement from Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, NJ DEP Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette, and Ocean Township Police Chief Michal Rogalski. The fire was first spotted at 9:45 a.m. by the Cedar Bridge Fire Tower, which reported seeing smoke near Jones Roa…
NJ Wildfire Explodes To 12,500 Acres: Latest From Forest Fire Service NJ Wildfire Explodes To 12,500 Acres: Latest From Forest Fire Service
NJ Wildfire Explodes To 12,500 Acres: Latest From Forest Fire Service An otherwise idyllic spring day along the New Jersey coast was darkened by thick plumes of smoke as a massive wildfire scorched through 12,500 acres — threatening homes, destroying property, and leaving thousands without power Wednesday, April 23. 🚨 A massive wildfire, dubbed the Jones Road Wildfire, is tearing through 1,200 acres in Barnegat Township’s Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area, Ocean County, NJ, as of April 22, 2025, with 0% containment. Mandatory evacuations are underway for Wells Mills Road from Bryant… pic.twitter.com/61nPv8YRcH — Laszlo Varga (@LaszloRealtor) April 2…
Southwest Flight’s Engine Catches Fire In Midair Southwest Flight’s Engine Catches Fire In Midair
Southwest Flight’s Engine Catches Fire In Midair A Southwest Airlines flight was forced to return to a Texas airport shortly after takeoff when its engine caught fire, prompting an emergency evacuation. The Boeing 737, which was en route to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, had to turn back to Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport at approximately 11:45 a.m. local time Thursday, April 17, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said. Upon landing, firefighters swiftly extinguished the blaze, along with a small grass fire that had ignited near the runway, according to authorities. No injuries were reported among the 134 passengers on board.&nbs…
Hoarding Conditions Blamed In Maryland House Fire That Killed Two, Officials Say Hoarding Conditions Blamed In Maryland House Fire That Killed Two, Officials Say
Hoarding Conditions Blamed In Maryland House Fire That Killed Two, Officials Say Deadly hoarding conditions inside a Maryland home made rescue efforts difficult after a fire broke out early Thursday, leaving two dead and one survivor, authorities said. The flames were already ripping through a Brunswick Road home in Faulkner when firefighters arrived shortly after 6:15 a.m. on April 17, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Crews from the Bel Alton Volunteer Fire Department and other nearby agencies were told that two people might still be inside the burning house, but extreme hoarding conditions made getting to them nearly impossible. It took 50 firefighters c…
Maryland Firefighter Suspended Days After Hiring Over Delaware Hate Crime Arrest: Officials Maryland Firefighter Suspended Days After Hiring Over Delaware Hate Crime Arrest: Officials
Maryland Firefighter Suspended Days After Hiring Over Delaware Hate Crime Arrest: Officials A Maryland firefighter is off the job less than two weeks after joining the department—following his arrest in a Delaware hate crime case, officials confirmed. Jay Droney, 27, had been with the La Plata Volunteer Fire Department in Charles County for just eight days before he was suspended this week amid a disturbing out-of-state arrest. According to the Delaware State Police, Droney and fellow firefighter Jordan Hastings, 23, were charged in connection with a February 2024 incident at the Millville Volunteer Fire Company where they allegedly chased a Black co-worker with a rope shaped like…
Arsonist Sets PA Governor Josh Shapiro’s Residence On Fire Arsonist Sets PA Governor Josh Shapiro’s Residence On Fire
Arsonist Sets PA Governor Josh Shapiro’s Residence On Fire Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were forced to evacuate their residence as an arsonist set the governor’s residence ablaze while they slept overnight.  The blaze broke out at 2 a.m. on Sunday, April 13, in North Front Street in the city of Harrisburg in Dauphin County. Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement they has confirmed that the fire was a deliberate act of arson. The alleged arsonist has since been identified and arrested, click here to read our full report.  The Shapiro family was located in a different part of the mansion and was safely evacuated…
Juvenile Goes Postal, Torches Car With Burning Mail In Maryland: Fire Marshal Juvenile Goes Postal, Torches Car With Burning Mail In Maryland: Fire Marshal
Juvenile Goes Postal, Torches Car With Burning Mail In Maryland: Fire Marshal That’s one way to send a message. A juvenile in Maryland is accused of torching a car in Washington County using a flaming stack of mail, state fire investigators said. It happened around 4:40 p.m. on Thursday, March 27, outside a home on the 4200 block of Mills Road in Sharpsburg, according to the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Investigators say the juvenile ignited several pieces of mail and tossed them into the passenger compartment of a parked vehicle, triggering a blaze that scorched the inside of the car. Damage was estimated at $500. No one was hurt. It took five firef…
Brush Fire Spreads Near Montgomery County Roadway, Crews Battle Flames In Maryland (DEVELOPING) Brush Fire Spreads Near Montgomery County Roadway, Crews Battle Flames In Maryland (DEVELOPING)
Brush Fire Spreads Near Montgomery County Roadway, Crews Battle Flames In Maryland (Developing) Firefighters swarmed a wooded area in Gaithersburg on Wednesday afternoon after a brush fire flared up near a busy intersection and began spreading rapidly through dense vegetation. According to Montgomery County Fire & Rescue spokesperson David Pazos, the first call came in around 3:55 p.m. on March 26, sending multiple units to the scene near Brink Road and Wightman Road. Crews arrived to find flames burning about 200 feet off the roadway, where thick brush and trees were fueling the spread, which was also aided by windy conditions.  Twitter/@DavidPazos15 Pazos said the fire e…
Mother, Son Airlifted After Battling House Fire In Maryland, Officials Say Mother, Son Airlifted After Battling House Fire In Maryland, Officials Say
Mother, Son Airlifted After Battling House Fire In Maryland, Officials Say A Maryland mother and son who tried to contain a fire in their home were airlifted to the hospital for smoke inhalation in St. Mary's County, officials announced. Firefighters responded to a house fire at 6:54 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19, at a home on Bean Family Lane in California, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Investigators say the fire started in the kitchen and was discovered by the homeowner’s son, who noticed smoke and took quick action to contain the flames before firefighters arrived. Bay District Volunteer Fire Department crews arrived within minutes and fully exti…
Seven Rescued From Balconies As Fire Rips Through Maryland Apartment Seven Rescued From Balconies As Fire Rips Through Maryland Apartment
Seven Rescued From Balconies As Fire Rips Through Maryland Apartment Firefighters pulled seven people to safety from their balconies as flames tore through a Maryland apartment building Wednesday morning, officials said. Crews rushed to the 6100 block of Breezewood Drive in Greenbelt around 8:43 a.m. on March 19, where they arrived to find fire shooting from the first and second floors of a three-story apartment building, according to the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department. There is an apartment fire in the 6100 block of Breezewood Drive. The building has been evacuated, and the Fire Department is on scene. Please avoid the area to allow emergency…
Hero Neighbor Grabs Garden Hose, Saves Maryland Home From Fire, Officials Say Hero Neighbor Grabs Garden Hose, Saves Maryland Home From Fire, Officials Say
Hero Neighbor Grabs Garden Hose, Saves Maryland Home From Fire, Officials Say A Maryland man didn’t wait for the fire department to arrive when he saw his neighbor’s home in flames—he grabbed a garden hose and took matters into his own hands, officials said. The fire broke out around 6:45 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, at a two-story home on Candice Drive in Port Deposit, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office.  The blaze started on the rear porch due to an electrical failure. Before firefighters arrived, a neighbor spotted the flames and immediately jumped into action.  Using a garden hose, officials said he managed to contain the fire long e…
10+ Acres Burned After Backhoe Fire Spreads In Maryland: Officials 10+ Acres Burned After Backhoe Fire Spreads In Maryland: Officials
10+ Acres Burned After Backhoe Fire Spreads In Maryland: Officials A fire sparked by a burning backhoe in Washington County tore through more than 10 acres of woodland, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage before firefighters could bring it under control, authorities said. Firefighters responded to the 11400 block of National Pike in Clear Spring around 12:30 p.m. on Friday, March 7, after flames spread from a backhoe to a nearby shed and then into the surrounding woods, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office. The property owner had started his 1982 Case 580 K Backhoe to let it warm up and left it idling while he went inside his ho…
Trucker Torches Tractor-Trailer Along I-68 In Maryland: Fire Marshal Trucker Torches Tractor-Trailer Along I-68 In Maryland: Fire Marshal
Trucker Torches Tractor-Trailer Along I-68 In Maryland: Fire Marshal A Baltimore County man is facing serious charges after investigators say he intentionally set his disabled semi-truck on fire along I-68 in Western Maryland. Robert Steven Silver, 42, of Cockeysville, was arrested Tuesday, March 4, with the help of Baltimore County Police after a months-long investigation by the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The incident happened on the night of Oct. 12, 2024, when firefighters from the Baltimore Pike Volunteer Fire Company responded to a burning tractor-trailer at the 50-mile marker of the interstate.  Crews arrived to find flames inside a 2012 V…
Two-Alarm Fire Collapses Montgomery County Mansion (DEVELOPING) Two-Alarm Fire Collapses Montgomery County Mansion (DEVELOPING)
Two-Alarm Fire Collapses Montgomery County Mansion (Developing) A massive fire tore through a home in Montgomery County, leaving a family of six displaced—but not before firefighters managed to save a group of newly acquired baby chicks, officials said. The fire broke out at around 3:30 p.m. on Monday, March 3, in a large single-family home on Mary Mead Court in Potomac, according to Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service spokesperson Pete Piringer. Firefighters were dispatched after a call came in from the homeowners reporting flames coming from the roof.  The scene of the fire in Montgomery County. Twitter/@mcfrsPIO When first r…
One House, Two Fires: Crews Return To Maryland Home As Blaze Rekindles One House, Two Fires: Crews Return To Maryland Home As Blaze Rekindles
One House, Two Fires: Crews Return To Maryland Home As Blaze Rekindles Firefighters in Harford County were called to the same home twice in one morning after a generator fire may have reignited, officials said The Darlington Volunteer Fire Company was called to a two-story home in the 3200 block of Conowingo Road around 6:45 a.m. on Sunday, March 2, after reports of a smoking or burning generator on the rear porch, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Crews extinguished the fire quickly, but just three hours later, at 9:30 a.m., firefighters were dispatched back to the same home—this time for a full-fledged house fire, officials said. Upon arrival, c…