An Edgewood household narrowly avoided tragedy yesterday when a fire, sparked by an unattended candle or incense, engulfed their home on Ebbtide Drive. According to FOX Baltimore, the blaze began in a second-floor bedroom and rapidly spread, causing an estimated $300,000 in structural damage and another $200,000 in loss to personal belongings.
Trying to extinguish the flames with a pot of water, the family was home when a smoke alarm signaled the imminent peril. Their efforts, however futile, were abandoned as the fire quickly grew unmanageable. Aiding in their escape, open bedroom windows, which investigators later noted fueled the rapid spread of the fire, helped the flames breach and extend into the house's soffit and attic, as reported by WMAR-2 News.
The family, which included a mother and her two adult children, along with their dog, managed to call 911 and safely escape the blaze. The functioning smoke alarm alerted them to the danger, allowing enough time for the family to exit and then reenter to rescue the pet still inside the burning residence. In a heartfelt display of vigilance, the Abingdon Fire Company and Joppa Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company arrived at the scene, bringing the fire under control within a mere 15 minutes and preventing further damage to adjacent properties.
