2 Pets Rescued From Abingdon Apartment Fire: Officials

ABINGDON, MD — Crews battled an apartment fire in Abingdon Friday afternoon that has been ruled accidental. Nobody was home at the time, and officials said that two pets were rescued.

At 2:30 p.m., a resident was returning home to the Woodsdale Apartments in the 100 block of Waldon Road when she noticed smoke coming from a nearby unit and heard the smoke alarm, according to the fire marshal. Another resident felt the door and found it warm, officials said.

Firefighters from the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company reported they were conducting an aggressive attack from inside the residence as of 2:40 p.m.

About 25 firefighters — from Abingdon, Joppa-Magnolia, APG and Bel Air — responded to the three-story apartment building and controlled the blaze in five minutes, the fire marshal reported.

Crews rescued two cats who were inside the apartment at the time of the fire, and officials said the pets were in good condition Friday afternoon.

The fire's origin was traced to a candle in the living room that was left unattended, according to the fire marshal, who ruled the blaze accidental.

There was $5,000 in structural damage, and $2,500 worth of items inside the apartment were lost as a result of the fire. Officials said crews contained the damage to the unit where the blaze broke out; all other residents were able to return to their apartments.

Images by the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company, courtesy of Office of the State Fire Marshal.