Family Loses Belongings In Fire, GoFundMe Set Up To Help

ABINGDON, MD — A GoFundMe has been created for the family whose house caught on fire after an electrical malfunction involving the dryer vent sparked a blaze, causing them to lose most of their belongings.

The two adults and four children living there have been displaced after a fire damaged their two-story, middle-of-the-group townhouse Thursday night. A teenage girl had started the dryer in the basement around 8:24 p.m. and as she walked away, she heard a popping sound. The teen returned immediately and found a fire ablaze in the laundry room, according to the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal.

The mom living in the home, later identified as Danielle Shrodes, used a garden hose to try and control the fire until she realized she couldn't stay there any longer and evacuated, officials stated. Her children, including one with a newborn baby, also safely evacuated. The townhome, located in the 100 block of Laurel Woods Court, sustained $15,000 in structure damage and $10,000 in loss of contents.

“We’re very proud of what she did. She certainly controlled that fire,” Master Deputy State Fire Marshal Oliver Alkirel told WMAR. “It could have easily escalated beyond that laundry room and throughout that home. So kudos to her for first of all having the wherewithal to get her family out then to actually take the time to pull that garden hose in and actually control that fire.”

The GoFundMe organizer, Shrodes' sister Danielle, said her sister has "worked incredibly hard over the years" as a single mom to build a life for her children - Dom, Sophia and Makayla. Dom also is special needs. Makayla also welcomed her newborn baby two weeks ago and the family lost baby supplies, too, in addition to clothing, furniture and basic household necessities.

"She works full time and has always pushed through, doing everything she can to provide, even when it hasn’t been easy. She’s the kind of mom who never stops showing up for her children, no matter what," the GoFundMe stated. "We are so grateful that everyone is safe, but they are now faced with the overwhelming reality of starting over from scratch."

As of Tuesday morning, nearly $4,000 of the $10,000 goal has been raised.