Discarded Cigarette Sparks Porch Fire At Bel Air Home: Official

BEL AIR, MD — A homeowner and his son were woken up by a neighbor alerting them to a fire that had ignited on their back porch Sunday around 9:08 p.m.

Around 30 firefighters with the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company responded to the two-story single family home located at 1230 Conowingo Rd. They had the fire extinguished in five minutes. The fire caused only minor damage to the home beyond the porch, the fire department stated.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal ruled the fire accidental due to a discarded cigarette. The home experienced $20,000 in damage and $5,000 in loss of property. The owner and his 21-year-old son were offered help from the Harford Disaster Assistance but declined.