2 Residents Dead, 2 Firefighters Hospitalized After Pasadena House Fire: Officials

PASADENA, MD — Two residents died Thursday after an accidental Pasadena house fire, and two firefighters were hurt. Authorities identified the victims as Patsie L. Griffin, 79, and James Griffin, 74.

Both victims lived in the home that burned. This was Anne Arundel County's first fatal fire of the year.

Two firefighters suffered minor injuries, a press release said. Medics drove them to the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.

The blaze started around 12:33 a.m. in the kitchen of the house in the 1300 block of Thomas Road. The occupants called 911 to report that their house was filled with smoke and that they could not escape, the release said.

First responders found smoke coming from the eaves, or the roof edges, on all four sides of the one-story, single-family home with a basement.

Crews rescued the trapped occupants, but paramedics could not resuscitate them. Officials said they pronounced the victims dead on the scene.

A team of 45 firefighters controlled the flames in about an hour.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze and whether the property had functioning smoke detectors. The Anne Arundel County Fire Department did not estimate the value of the property lost.

The agency thanked the Anne Arundel County Police Department and the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for their assistance.

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