Local Fire Investigations

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Date: 12-2-17

Time: 8:30 am

Location / Address: 12402 Waldorf Business Square, Waldorf, Charles County, Maryland

Type of Incident: Commercial Building Fire

Description of Structure / Property: 65' x 35' commercial warehouse

Owner / Occupants: Tim Hamby

Injuries or Deaths: None

Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $25,000 Contents: $55,000

Smoke Alarm Status: None

Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: None

Arrests(s): N/A

Primary Responding Fire Department: Waldorf VFD

# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 47

Time to Control: 20 minutes

Discovered By: Neighboring tenant

Area of Origin: Inside the warehouse shelving area

Preliminary Cause: Under Investigation

Additional Information: The cause of the fire inside the warehouse is continuing.
 

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12-02-2017 Charles Vehicle Fire w/ Fatality Waldorf

Date: 12-2-17

Time: 4:18 am

Location / Address: 10047 Lyles Place, Waldorf, Charles County, Maryland

Type of Incident: Vehicle Fire w/ Fatality

Description of Structure / Property: 2002 unregistered Crown Victoria

Owner / Occupants: Awaiting identification

Injuries or Deaths: 1 adult male fatality awaiting identification

Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $1,500 Contents: $0

Smoke Alarm Status: N/A

Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: N/A

Arrests(s): None

Primary Responding Fire Department: Waldorf VFD

# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 15

Time to Control: 10 minutes

Discovered By: Initial 911 call reported an undetermined fire and hung up

Area of Origin: Remains under investigation

Preliminary Cause: Remains under investigation

Additional Information: An initial 911 hang-up was received at 0418 hours for a reported fire at 10047 Lyles Place in Waldorf, Md. The fire department was then dispatched at 4:22 am and when they arrived with the Charles County Sheriff's Office, they discovered a vehicle was on fire. After extinguishing the fire, a deceased adult male victim was found in the passenger compartment. The victim was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore so that their identity can be determined along with their cause of death. The Charles County Sheriff's Office's Criminal Investigations Division, Crime Lab unit and Patrol Division are assisting with the investigation.
 

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11-30-2017 - Charles House Fire, Waldorf

Date: 11-30-17

Time: 8:22 p.m.

Location / Address: 1807 Ann Marie Circle, Waldorf, Charles County, Maryland

Type of Incident: Fire

Description of Structure / Property: 2 Story, Split-Foyer, Single Family Dwelling

Owner / Occupants: Debra & Claude Richardson

Injuries or Deaths: None

Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $ 40,000.00 Contents: $

Smoke Alarm Status: Present - Activated

Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: N/A

Arrests(s): None

Primary Responding Fire Department: Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department

# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 20

Time to Control: 10 minutes

Discovered By: Neighbor

Area of Origin: Exterior of Home - Back Porch

Preliminary Cause: Accidental

Additional Information: Discarded smoking materials were placed in a plastic bag in a wheel barrel on the back porch. A neighbor saw the fire and called 911. The majority of the damage was to the exterior of the home. There were no injuries as a result of this incident.
 

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11-30-2017 - Charles House & Brush Fire, Charlotte Hall

Date: 11-30-17

Time: 5:13 p.m.

Location / Address: 7999 Keech Road, Charlotte Hall, Charles County, Maryland

Type of Incident: Fire

Description of Structure / Property: 1 Story Single Family Home & Brush Fire

Owner / Occupants: Mike Thomas Schaefer

Injuries or Deaths: None

Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $ 300.00 Contents: $0

Smoke Alarm Status: N/A

Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: N/A

Arrests(s): None

Primary Responding Fire Department: Hughesville Volunteer Fire Department

# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: Unknown

Time to Control: Unknown

Discovered By: Unknown

Area of Origin: Under Investigation

Preliminary Cause: Under Investigation

Additional Information: The Office of the State Fire Marshal is assisting Forestry with this incident, which started as a brush fire and spread to the house, causing minimal damage to the house.
 

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11-27-2017 Accidental Shed Fire, St. Mary's County

Date: 11/27/2017

Time: 8:27 PM

Location / Address: 35683 Army Navy Drive, Mechanicsville, St. Mary's County

Type of Incident: FIre

Description of Structure / Property: Wood framed, storage shed

Owner / Occupants: Michael Montgomery

Injuries or Deaths: None

Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $6000.00 Contents: $6000.00

Smoke Alarm Status: N/A

Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: N/A

Arrests(s): N/A

Primary Responding Fire Department: Mechanicsville VFD

# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 20

Time to Control: 10 minutes

Discovered By: Homeowner

Area of Origin: Rear exterior

Preliminary Cause: Accidental

Additional Information: The accidental fire was caused by discarded fireplace ashes that ignited a small brush fire and spread to the rear of the shed.
 

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Victims Identified in Two Separate Charles County Fatal Fires

CHARLES COUNTY (November 20, 2017) - On November 15, 2017, two individuals were victims of two fires in the County.

At approximately 5:40 a.m. a 911 call came in reporting someone possibly trapped in a trailer located on the property of 1775 Marhsall Hall Road in Bryan's Road. The victim has been identified as 53 year old Duane F. Crispell, who was the caretaker for the animals at that location. His cause of death has been ruled smoke inhalation and thermal burns by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Investigators from that fire have ruled it accidental due to overloaded electrical circuits.

At approximately 3:21 p.m. a 911 call came in from a medical alert reporting a fire in a camper at 11950 Goldie Farm Place in Waldorf. The victim has been identified as 56 year old Patricia M. Mahoney who was unable to escape the fire due to being paralyzed. No one was home at time of the fire to assist her. Her cause of death has been ruled smoke inhalation and thermal burns by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Investigators from that fire have ruled it an accidental due to careless smoking.
 

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Fatal Fire In Waldorf

CHARLES COUNTY (NOVEMBER 15, 2017) - Deputy State Fire Marshals are currently on the scene conducting an origin and cause investigation of a late afternoon fire that occurred 11950 Goldie Farm Place.

The initial 911 call was received from a medical alert device at approximately 3:21 p.m and was subsequently upgraded to an undetermined fire alarm. Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department responded to the one alarm fire with with approximately 40 fire personnel from surrounding Departments. Upon arrival on the scene, they found a fire in a pull behind trailer and a female victim in her bed. The victim was removed from the trailer and it was determined that she was deceased. The victim's trailer had a smoke alarm and it was activated.

The victim is being transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore to determine the exact cause of death. The victim's name is not being released at this time pending notification.

The Charles County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation's Division is assisting with the investigation.
 

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