Four children and two adults were pronounced dead after a fire engulfed a house in Waldorf, Maryland, on Sunday morning, according to officials.
At about 8:40 a.m., the Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department responded to the 3000 block of Declaration Court North to a report of a big fire with people trapped inside. Officials from the Deputy State Fire Marshals and from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on the scene.
When firefighters arrived on the scene, they were told that up to six people could be inside. Initially, three people were pronounced dead, and officials said they were searching for three others who were missing.
Nine people lived in the home, according to Master Deputy State Fire Marshal Oliver Alkire. Two people escaped from the house unharmed and one adult who lived at the home arrived on the scene as crews worked through the house. At 5 p.m., Alkire confirmed that six people were pronounced dead.
“With the loss of life, this is pretty devastating,” Bill Smith, the Charles County fire department public information officer, said. “Yes, it’s devastating.”
Firefighters say it took about an hour to get the fire under control. One firefighter was taken to a nearby hospital for a medical emergency.
The identities and ages of the victims will be confirmed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, who will also determine their exact cause of death.
While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, investigators determined the fire originated within an enclosed porch on the right side of the home.
Editor’s note (8/11/2025 at 6:20 a.m.): The article originally stated that one person escaped from the house. Fire officials confirmed two people escaped from the home.
from Local – NBC4 Washington https://ift.tt/xjLeDCi
0 Comments