$85K In Damage Caused By Fire Stemming From Faulty Power Strip

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Fire officials say a faulty power strip started a blaze that engulfed an Annapolis home on Aug. 7. The fire, which started in the basement, caused $85,000 in damage, the fire department announced Tuesday morning. The house is in the 800 block of Janice Drive, which is near the head of Back Creek.

Crews arrived at the single-family residence around 1:30 a.m. to find heavy fire spewing from the first-floor and basement windows. Firefighters initially tried to attack the flames from the outside.

After making some headway, crew members entered the house. By then, flames compromised the dwelling's structure, forcing firefighters to retreat and continue the battle from the outside. The Annapolis Fire Department controlled the flames within 20 minutes.

A Twitter video shows the fire lighting the night sky as sirens swirl around the scene.

Crews from the Anne Arundel County Fire Department and the Naval District Washington Fire Department assisted Annapolis' response. Altogether, 40 firefighters controlled the flames within 20 minutes.

The homeowner says the property was vacant. A neighbor called 911 to report the blaze. Nobody was hurt.

Fire officials are still investigating the cause and origin of the fire. Officials have not released the estimated value of the damage.

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