County Officials Identify Residents Killed In Bethesda House Fire

BETHESDA, MD — Montgomery County officials have identified two residents killed in a Nov. 21 house fire in Bethesda as John Ashton Randolph, 61, and Inga Randolph, 94. Investigators have determined that the mother and son died from smoke inhalation and thermal burns. Police said no foul play was suspected in their deaths.

Around 1 a.m. on Nov. 21, Montgomery County firefighters responded to the 4900 block of Western Avenue, where they found a two-story home engulfed in flames. A neighbor first reported the fire to 911 dispatchers, Fire Chief Scott Goldstein said.

Crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire before entering the house, which is located along the Maryland-D.C. border. Upon searching the home, firefighters found two victims — one on each floor.

John Ashton and Inga Randolph were pronounced dead at the scene. Firefighters believe they were the only two occupants inside the home.

Officials took their bodies to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, Goldstein said. The victims are the first two residential fire deaths in Montgomery County this year, according to records.

Authorities continue to investigate the cause and origin of the fire. Pete Piringer, the county fire department's spokesperson, said investigators believe the fire originated in the first floor living room area. While officials found "several confident sources of ignition," they haven't ruled anything out, Piringer said.

"One of the things that we are considering in our activities here is possible space heaters, other alternative heat sources. As we're getting into this cold snap, we always use those as possibilities," Goldstein said.

There was no initial indication that working smoking detectors were in the house, Piringer said.

More updates may follow.

Image via Montgomery County Fire Department

(For more news and information like this, subscribe to the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Patch for free. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. Don't forget to like us on Facebook.)