City Snowplow Drivers Save Man From House Fire

ABERDEEN, MD — Snowplow drivers clearing snow Sunday afternoon around 3:50 p.m. spied smoke coming from a home located in the 700 block of Webb Street.

The Department of Public Works employees ran to the home, knocked on the door and woke up the owner, who was asleep, to tell him his home was on fire. The owner grabbed his two cats and safely escaped the one story single family home, according to officials.

Around two dozen firefighters from the Aberdeen Fire Department arrived and spent 10 minutes gaining control of the blaze. Investigators with the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office have determined that the cause of the fire was a bathroom fan that sparked a fire in the attic above the bathroom.

Investigators have credited the public works employees who discovered the fire and notified the resident, along with the fire department's quick response for controlling and containing the fire to the attic, which caused significant damage to the bathroom and the adjoining living room only.

Investigators have estimated loss of contents and structure damage at $50,000.