Fire Off Post Road Destroyed Home: Officials

ABERDEEN, MD — A house fire off Post Road Friday afternoon displaced four residents, officials said; the residence was deemed a total loss.

The owner of the manufactured home in the unit block of Lewis Drive heard a circuit breaker trip and reset it at 4:30 p.m., then smelled and saw heavy smoke coming from the front bedroom, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

The owner and his girlfriend escaped but — thinking his nephew and his nephew's 3-year-old son were still inside — the owner broke a window to try to find them, officials said. It turned out the two had left earlier.

Within 15 minutes of their arrival, firefighters contained the blaze, according to Rich Gardiner, spokesman for the Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Association. Gardiner said the Aberdeen Fire Department, Susquehanna Hose Company, Havre de Grace Ambulance Corp, Level Volunteer Fire Company, and Aberdeen Proving Ground Fire personnel responded to the incident.

Officials said nobody was injured in the fire, the source of which was traced to the front bedroom. It was ruled accidental, caused by an electrical failure.

The house was considered a total loss, with $50,000 in structural damage and $15,000 of items inside destroyed as well, the fire marshal reported.

Harford County Disaster Assistance was providing relief for the displaced residents.

Photos courtesy of the Office of the State Fire Marshal.