Huge fire at Maryland junk yard sends black smoke into the sky

A junk yard fire involving over 100 vehicles burned for nearly five hours before it was brought under control in Hollywood, Maryland, Saturday.

A number of 911 calls were received just before 4 p.m. for a fire at Maximum Auto Body, in the 43900-block of Commerce Ave., according to the Bay District Volunteer Fire Department.

It said some of the callers described hearing explosions and seeing flames and heavy black smoke rising from the area.

First responders learned that the fire involved a rack of stacked vehicles, along with “gas or fuel sources” possibly contributing to the fire’s intensity, the fire department said.

Fire departments, including Hollywood, Solomons and the Naval District Washington, coordinated to bring the fire under control, along with junk yard employees who assisted firefighters by operating heavy machinery to separate the burning vehicles and extinguish the flames.

A deck gun, which can thrust about 3,000 gallons of water at a time, from the Naval District Washington Fire Department was also used to fight the flames.

distribute about three thousand gallons of water at a time. A crash truck from Naval District Washington Fire Department provided crucial support by flowing water into the piles using its powerful deck gun, which can distribute about three thousand gallons of water at a time.

No injuries were reported.

The Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the incident.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

Kyle Cooper

Weekend and fill-in anchor Kyle Cooper has been with WTOP since 1992. Over those 25 years, Kyle has worked as a street reporter, editor and anchor. Prior to WTOP, Kyle worked at several radio stations in Indiana and at the Indianapolis Star Newspaper.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up