Damascus House Fire

Montgomery County, MD - - -  On Saturday, January 10 at around 4 PM, units from Montgomery County Fire and Rescue as well as Frederick and Carroll County’s were dispatched for a report of fire in the basement at 28408 Kemptown Rd., Damascus.

First arriving units encountered heavy fire in the basement and first floors of a two-story, single-family house. The fire had entered the interior walls and extended upwards creating a stubborn fire behind both vinyl and wood siding. After significant effort, the fire was eventually brought under control and then extinguished.

MCFRS Fire Investigators were requested and the resulting examination revealed that the fire was caused by a propane fueled construction heater. The homeowner, while upstairs, heard a loud noise in the basement and upon entering the basement discovered the fire and attempted to extinguish it. He received minor burns to his face for which he refused any treatment.

The cause of the fire was accidental. Damage is estimated to be $200K to the structure and $100K to the contents. Two adults and one dog were displaced as a result of the fire. Approximately 75 Firefighters from Montgomery, Carroll and Frederick were on scene. One firefighter was transported to a local hospital for an injured leg after slipping on the ice. The home did have a working smoke alarm.

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