WASHINGTON — As many as six people are unaccounted for after a massive fire left an Annapolis mansion in ruins Monday.
So far, no bodies have been found, but a fire department spokesman says that the residents of the home were thought to be inside. But intense fire conditions pushed firefighters out of the home as the blaze raged early Monday morning.
Some of those missing are family members, says Captain. Russ Davies, spokesman for the Anne Arundel County Fire Department.
“The occupants of the house are unaccounted for. There was an early on belief that they may be out of town. So far we have not been able to verify that,” Davies says.
Some 85 firefighters began battling the four-alarm fire on Child’s Point Road around 3:30 a.m. Monday. They brought it under control around 7 a.m. But continued to put out hot spots throughout the morning. The fire left behind only a stone shell and rubble, still smoldering into the afternoon.
The 16,386-square-foot, seven-bedroom home will be searched to determine whether anyone was inside.
But the roof and upper floors have all collapsed into the basement making some areas difficult to reach, Davies says.
“This is going to be a multi-million dollar loss,” Davies says.
According to state property tax records, the waterfront mansion has an assessed value of $6.2 million. The home was built in 2005 and sits on almost 8 acres of land.
No injuries to firefighters have been reported.
The cause of the blaze is not yet known. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are helping with the investigation.
The smell of smoke hangs in air up to a mile away–6 family mbrs unaccounted for at Child’s Point Rd house fire pic.twitter.com/EKxrwIVqCL
— Kate Ryan (@KateRyanWTOP) January 19, 2015
Concern grows as 6 people at #annapolis mansion unaccounted for aft 4 alarm fire gutted the home on Child’s Point Rd pic.twitter.com/cUwhjoMMnw
— Kate Ryan (@KateRyanWTOP) January 19, 2015
WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report from Annapolis. Follow @WTOP and WTOP on Facebook.
