Christmas Tree Fuels $100K Annapolis House Fire: Officials

ANNAPOLIS, MD — A live Christmas tree scheduled to be removed from an Annapolis home the next day was the source of a house fire Saturday that caused significant damage, but no injuries.

The scenario is similar to one year ago, when a tinder-dry Christmas tree – scheduled to be removed the next day – torched the Annapolis-area mansion of Don and Sandra Pyle, killing the couple and four of their grandchildren. The 15-foot Christmas tree fueled The January 2015 fire killed Don and Sandra Pyle and four of their grandchildren, who were staying overnight. Investigators said the family was trapped by smoke and flames when an electrical fire spread to the tree in the $4.2 million mansion in the 900 block of Childs Point Road.

Saturday’s fire was reported at 12:46 p.m. at 915 Jackson St. for a possible building fire. The first arriving unit reported smoke showing from the dwelling. There was no one home at the time of the fire; it was reported by a neighbor.

Fire officials say about $100,000 damage was done to the two-story house. There is fire damage to the first floor, and heat and smoke damage throughout the rest of the house. There were no civilian or firefighter injuries reported.

Although the cause of the fire remains under investigation, officials say the fire began near the Christmas tree in a first floor living room. The tree was bought several weeks ago, and the homeowners had planned to take the tree out of the house on Sunday.

Annapolis Fire Chief David Stokes said that if you haven’t already done so, it’s time to remove your Christmas decorations.

“This is especially true for any live trees or wreaths. These items dry out fairly quickly and when dry, they create a great fire risk,” Stokes said. “When they burn, they create a very fast moving fire, with very intense heat and smoke.”

Dry Christmas trees are a significant fire hazard, added Anne Arundel County Fire Chief Allan Graves.

“We encourage residents to not just remove them from inside your home, but away from your home,” Graves said. “Just moving them to the side of the house or to a deck or garage is not enough; you need to kick them to the curb.”

The Annapolis City Fire Department received help from the Anne Arundel County Fire Department and the United States Naval Academy Fire Department in fighting the blaze.