Five families displaced after three-alarm fire at row of townhouses in Edgewood

Apr. 10—The Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the cause of a three-alarm fire early Monday in Edgewood that blazed through a row of townhouses and caused an estimated $1 million in damages.

The Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company responded to a report of a house fire in the 1900 block of Brookside Drive at 5:30 a.m. According to a news release from the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the fire was reported by a neighbor.

It took 94 firefighters two hours to get the fire under control, according to the release. In addition to Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company, firefighters from several agencies in Harford and Baltimore counties battled the blaze, including units from the Level, Bel Air, Jarrettsville, Fallston, Kingsville and White March volunteer fire companies; Aberdeen Fire Department; Abingdon Fire Company; Susquehanna Hose Company; Aberdeen Proving Ground Fire & Emergency Services; Harford County Department of Emergency Services; and Baltimore County Fire Department.

Five townhouses have extensive damage, according to the state fire marshal's office. The families residing in those homes have been displaced and are being assisted by Harford County Disaster Assistance and Red Cross.

No injuries were reported, the release said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation and the ATF is assisting in the investigation, which the Office of the State Fire Marshal said is standard protocol for any large-scale incident. However, a preliminary investigation discovered that the fire began on the rear deck of the townhouse at 1935 Brookside Drive and discarded smoking materials cannot be ruled out at this time, fire officials said.