A major fire in the early morning hours Friday left 10 people displaced from their homes and five townhouses unfit for occupation in Severn, Maryland.
According to the Anne Arundel County Fire Department, the fire began around 1:53 a.m. in the 8400 block of Pioneer Drive. A total of 46 firefighters were dispatched to the scene to combat the blaze.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control in about 45 minutes. By that time, five units in the complex had sustained extensive damage, displacing 10 occupants.
“They already had fire through the roof of two of the townhouses” by the time firefighters arrived on scene, said Captain Russ Davies with Anne Arundel County Fire. “Two of the homes did suffer pretty extensive damage, and then three more homes did receive damage that was more minor, but still significant.”
Because the fire got into the attic area and spread, gaping holes now open up bedrooms to the skies. Water from the firefighters’ hoses also caused significant damage to the lower levels of the homes, leaving a massive mess to clean up and repair. It will be some time before residents can return to their homes.
Luckily, there were no residents injured in the fire.
“In [one of the homes] where we believe the fire started, there were three people sleeping,” Davies said. “They were alerted to the fire by smoke alarms which gave them time to get out safely before we even arrived.”
The Red Cross is assisting five people whose homes were damaged by the fire.
One firefighter was sent to the University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center in good condition after paramedics identified a minor medical-related issue during the post-fire rehab process.
The Anne Arundel County Fire Department Fire and Explosives Investigation Unit is working to establish the cause of the fire.
