Local Fire Investigations; Arrests; Indictments

[Editor]

Date: 1/27/17

Time: 11:25 a.m.

Location / Address: 26600 N Sandgates Road, Mechanicsville, St. Mary's County, Maryland

Type of Incident: Fire

Description of Structure / Property: 1 & 1/2 story, wood framed single family home

Owner / Occupants: Cook family

Injuries or Deaths: None

Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $ 200,000.00 Contents: $ 100,000.00

Smoke Alarm Status: Present / Activated

Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: None

Arrests(s): None

Primary Responding Fire Department: Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department

# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 35

Time to Control: 45 minutes

Discovered By: Neighbors

Area of Origin: Screened-In Deck

Preliminary Cause: Accidental - Electrical malfunction.

Additional Information: Around 11:25 a.m. neighbors heard loud "booms" coming from their neighbor's house. They first saw smoke then fire coming from the back of the house. No one was home at the time of the incident. Several family pets perished as a result of the fire. The family is being assisted by the American Red Cross.

 

[Editor]

Date: 1/27/17

Time: 4:53 p.m.

Location / Address: (In the area of) 4000 Tippett Knolls Place, Indian Head, Charles County, MD

Type of Incident: Fire

Description of Structure / Property: 20 x 30 Shed

Owner / Occupants: Unknown

Injuries or Deaths: None

Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $ 10,000.00 Contents: $

Smoke Alarm Status: None

Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: None

Arrests(s): None

Primary Responding Fire Department: Potomac Heights Volunteer Fire Department

# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 15

Time to Control: 20 minutes

Discovered By: Passer-By

Area of Origin: Interior of Shed

Preliminary Cause: Incendiary - Unknown suspect(s) ignited available combustibles

Additional Information: A passer-by noticed fire coming from the area of Route 210 and Lower Wharf Road. The fire also caused damage to the siding of a neighboring occupied dwelling. Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Office of the State Fire Marshal, Southern Regional Office, at 443-550-6832.

 

[Editor]

Date: 1/27/17

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location / Address: 8920 St. Andrew's Dr., Chesapeake Beach, Calvert County, Maryland

Type of Incident: Fire

Description of Structure / Property: 1 story wood framed dwelling and a Cherokee Camper

Owner / Occupants: Matthew Gleason

Injuries or Deaths: None

Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $ 100,000.00 Contents: $ 100,000.00

Smoke Alarm Status: Present - Activated

Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: None

Arrests(s): None

Primary Responding Fire Department: North Beach Volunteer Fire Department

# of Alarms: 2 # Of Firefighters: 50

Time to Control: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Discovered By: Neighbors

Area of Origin: Deck attached to house

Preliminary Cause: Under Investigation

Additional Information: Around 6:30 p.m. the Calvert 9-1-1 Center received multiple calls related to a house fire on St. Andrew's Drive in Chesapeake Beach. The fire department discovered fire coming from the attached deck area of the house. The extended time to control the fire was due to two large propane tanks, venting, from underneath the deck. No one was home at the time of the fire. The owner is being assisted by family and friends. Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Office of the State Fire Marshal, Southern Regional Office, at 443-550-6832.

 

[Editor]

Date: 1/30/17

Time: 1:56 p.m.

Location / Address: 22442 MacArthur Blvd., California, St. Mary's County, Maryland

Type of Incident: Fire

Description of Structure / Property: Single story wood framed house

Owner / Occupants: Mercedita Fortaleza

Injuries or Deaths: Injuries - Occupant of the home was transported to MedStar St. Mary's with non-life threatening burns and smoke inhalation.

Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $ 50,000.00 Contents: $25,000.00

Smoke Alarm Status: Present

Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: None

Arrests(s): None

Primary Responding Fire Department: Bay District Volunteer Fire Department

# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 30

Time to Control: 10 minutes

Discovered By: Occupant

Area of Origin: Bedroom

Preliminary Cause: Accidental

Additional Information: The fire was determined to be accidental as the result of unattended incense burning in the bedroom. The incense ignited nearby combustible materials, causing damage to the home. The family of five was displaced and is being assisted by the American Red Cross.

 

[Editor]

Grand Jury Indicts Local Man on Arson Related Charges

CHARLES COUNTY, MD -- (January 31, 2017) A Charles County Grand Jury has indicted, Eric Scott White (40) on charges of: (3) counts Attempted Murder, 1st Degree Arson, 1st Degree Assault, and (3) counts of Reckless Endangerment. White was linked to an arson fire located at 6706 Coati Court in Waldorf which occurred on December 15, 2016 after a domestic dispute. The fire was determined to be intentionally set in his own home while his wife and children were inside the residence. The fire caused an estimated $35,000 in damage to the structure and contents. No one was injured during the incident.

On, December 27, 2016 at 2:30 pm, investigators from the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office, along with members of the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force successfully located and apprehended White at his parents residence in Hickory, North Carolina. He was extradited to Maryland and remains at the Charles County Detention Center.

 

[Editor]

Owner Charged in Arson of Vehicle

CHARLES COUNTY (February 1, 2017) - Investigators from the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office took John A. Word Jr. (28) into custody on Monday, January 30th after the Prince George's County Police Department had arrested him in an unrelated case. Word was developed as a suspect in a fire which occurred on September 16, 2016 around 12:50 am. Deputy State Fire Marshal's obtained an arrest warrant for him on January 13th, 2017 after a lengthy investigation. The fire occurred on Sourwood Avenue involving a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu, which belonged to Word. The vehicle was completely destroyed by the fire causing approximately $10,000 in damages. The Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department extinguished the fire within 5 minutes. The investigation revealed Word intentionally set the fire for insurance fraud.

Word was charged with Second Degree Arson, First Degree Malicious Burning and Insurance Fraud and was taken to the Charles County Detention Center.

 

[Editor]

Carroll County Man Charged with St. Mary's College of Maryland On-Campus Related Fire Incident

St. Mary's County, MD (February 3, 2017) -- A 19-year-old male student has been charged after determining he was responsible for setting a fire inside Dorchester Hall located on St. Mary's College of Maryland campus in St. Mary's City.

On March 24, 2016 at approximately 3:00 p.m., a fire involving clothing inside the laundry room was discovered by staff and quickly extinguished. The Office of the State Fire Marshal investigated the incident and collected evidence. Two additional incidents occurred on March 25th with a small fire on a chair cushion on the third floor and March 27th when a roll of toilet paper was found burning on a table.

Investigators determined Edward Granlund (19) of Westminster, Maryland was responsible for the fire that occurred on March 24, 2016. The additional incidents remain under investigation. Granlund was transported from Westminster to the St. Mary's County Detention Center without incident. He is currently being held on a charge of 2nd Degree Attempted Arson.