2 people dead, police officer and civilian injured in Harford County house fire
Two people were killed, and two others, including a police officer, were injured during a house fire in Aberdeen Friday morning, according to the Maryland Fire Marshal's Office.
Aberdeen Fire officials were notified about a fire outside of a house around 8:12 a.m. As they were responding, firefighters noticed smoke in the 100 block of Darlington Avenue.
Firefighters approached the scene where they found a home engulfed in flames and a 77-year-old man standing outside, directing them to the home, according to Oliver Alkire with the state fire marshal's office.
Aberdeen police arrived on the scene and attempted to enter the home after the man said two of his family members were still inside. Officers were met with heavy smoke and flames.
Firefighters then attempted to enter. During their response, they found one person dead inside and later found a second person, Master Deputy Alkire told WJZ.
The 77-year-old man was transported to a hospital with burns, and a police officer was transported for smoke inhalation.
According to Alkire, it took 70 firefighters about an hour and a half to get the fire under control.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, but it could have originated near the back of the home, Alkire said.
Wind impacts spread of fire
According to Master Deputy Alkire, wind gusts Friday morning contributed to the fast spread of the fire, presenting challenges for firefighters.
"Any time we get a fire at this time of the day, this time of year, the wind certainly contributes to that fast-moving spread of the fire. That certainly presented challenges to the fire department, however, they were able to control that fire to just the house of origin. It did not spread to any other adjacent houses," Alkire said.
A similar situation occurred in December 2024 when a fire started at a recycling plant in Baltimore, growing to a massive size and prompting nearby schools and a road to be shut down.
The fire at Camp Small originated in a storage area that was stacked with trees and logs. The fire was first reported on a Thursday night around 5 p.m. It spread overnight due to strong winds and continued to smolder for about four days.
An employee identified as Preston reported the fire as he was preparing to leave work.
"It was small enough I could tell it had just started, and it was pretty far off in the distance," Preston told WJZ. "I called the fire department in. Over the next couple of hours, it became apparent that it was going to be very difficult to control that fire. We had 40 mph winds that night, dry conditions leading up to that. It spread very fast."
Over 100 firefighters and 12 engine companies responded to the scene, and it took crews about 24 hours to contain the flames.
Recent Maryland fires
The fatal fire comes one day after two people were killed in an Annapolis house fire.
Anne Arundel County Fire crews responded to the scene Thursday night where they found a townhouse with a well-involved fire. Two adults were found and both were pronounced dead, officials said.
Officials are calling it an accidental fire, but are continuing to investigate the cause.
On Feb. 14, a fire displaced four Harford County residents and damaged a store.
The Fire Marshal's Office said a 7-year-old boy alerted his family to the fire, allowing them to escape along with their two dogs.
