WASHINGTON — A person died in a fire in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland, early Friday, and investigators are working to determine the cause.
The person, whose identity is not yet available, was found on the home’s basement after fire crews put out a blaze in the single-story home on the 1900 block of Callaway Street.
When they arrived just after 2 a.m., firefighters found fire showing in the basement.
Crews found hoarding conditions throughout the house.
Prince George’s County Assistant Fire Chief Alan C. Doubleday tells WTOP the fire department is seeming more fires involving “excessive storage.”
“From the report from the firefighters, it was 2 or 3 feet of storage materials throughout the whole basement, which creates a unique challenge for us and zero visibility,” he said.
The home partially collapsed as firefighters put it out. The partial collapse occurred when a steel beam weakened from the heat, causing the first floor to sag.
The fire caused about $110,000 in damage.
WTOP’s Dennis Foley contributed to this story.
