UPDATE: Troopers rescue 3 from burning LaVale home
Jul. 15—LAVALE — Two Maryland State Police troopers were credited Friday with rescuing three people from a burning National Highway home.
Senior Trooper Ersel Wilson and Tfc. Hunter McCue were on patrol together but in separate vehicles around 4 a.m. when Wilson noticed smoke in the 1000 block of National Highway, said Maryland State Police Cpl. Zac Brinkman, who was serving as duty officer at the Cumberland barrack when the fire occurred.
Upon arriving a short distance from the state police barrack, Wilson and McCue found fire at the rear of 1067 National Highway and forced entry into the front, awakened the occupants who were asleep upstairs and escorted them from the smoke-filled and fire-involved structure.
Smoke alarms in the home failed to activate initially, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office.
The names of the occupants were not immediately available. The owner of the property was identified as Nancy Salmon, officials said.
Two cats died in the fire.
The property was destroyed and the loss was estimated at $70,000 to the structure and $30,000 in contents.
The fire was determined to be accidental in nature and caused by discarded smoking material, according to the fire marshal's office.
Dozens of volunteer firefighters from various companies responded to the scene under the direction of the LaVale Volunteer Fire Department.
LaVale was assisted by volunteer fire companies from Corriganville, Ellerslie, Mount Savage, Frostburg, Shaft, Midland, Bedford Road, Bowling Green, Cresaptown and Ridgeley. Allegany County Department of Emergency Services ambulances also responded to the scene.
