Office of State Fire Marshal investigating two Harford fires from early this week
Jan. 31—The Office of the State Fire Marshal is investigating two Harford County fires from early this week — one in Edgewood on Monday night and one in Bel Air Tuesday morning.
The Bel Air fire was reported after 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. A fire at a two-story, single-family dwelling in the 1200 block of Marston Drive was discovered by the owner. The fire was extinguished upon arrival by the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company.
No injuries were reported, and about $10,000 worth of damages were reported, $5,000 worth of structure damages and $5,000 worth of the house's contents, according to the state fire marshal's office.
The accidental fire started in the basement bedroom due to a mini refrigerator failure, according to the state fire marshal's office. When the fire department arrived, they found the fire had self-extinguished after extending into the drop ceiling and melting a PVC water pipe, causing water to extinguish the fire.
"The female occupant was upstairs when she heard a 'pop,' and the smoke alarm activated," the Office of the State Fire Marshal said in a news release. "She and her two adult daughters were able to escape and call 911."
The Edgewood fire was reported around 8:30 p.m. Monday. A shed fire behind a home on the 600 block of Harbour Oak Drive, which resulted in $2,000 worth of damages, was discovered by a neighbor. No injuries were reported.
The fire took about 10 minutes to control by the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company. The fire originated from the exterior of the shed. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but the Office of the State Fire Marshal said discarded smoking materials cannot be ruled out.
