Fire Scorches Porch At Harford County Apartment Complex

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — A porch fire broke out at a Harford County apartment complex on Friday morning, but the quick thinking of the building's staff kept it from spreading to nearby homes, according to officials.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal said the fire was first reported around 11 a.m. at an apartment complex located at 648 Harborplace Dr. in Joppa.

According to officials, the occupant of the involved apartment was asleep when another neighbor discovered a fire on the porch. They called 911, prompting building maintenance to respond. The maintenance team used fire extinguishers to attempt to control the fire and removed several pieces of furniture on fire away from the involved apartment.

The apartment's occupants were not displaced, and the fire did not spread into the apartment, officials said.

"Their actions were credited with preventing the fire from spreading to other units," the fire marshal's office said in a statement.

No injuries were reported. Officials estimated the fire caused $10,000 in damage.

The cause remains under investigation.