After 3 Fires in One Day, Howard County Public Safety Officials Ask Community for Help

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — After firefighters were called to three preventable blazes in Howard County on Sunday, fire officials are asking citizens to think about their choices.

“Our responders are here to keep Howard County safe, but risk reduction starts with the community,” Howard County Fire Chief John S. Butler said in a statement.

See a list of tips at the end of the article for reducing your risk.

Two cooking-related fires and one involving improper ash disposal occurred on Sunday in Howard County, officials said.

A person was unresponsive when public safety officials arrived in the 5300 block of Dorsey Hall Drive in Ellicott City at 9 p.m. for a smoke alarm, according to the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services.

Food on the stove had caught fire, officials said.

The individual who was not responsive was moved to fresh air and taken to Howard County General Hospital for smoke inhalation, according to officials.

Another fire involving food occurred at 2 p.m. in the 7000 block of Duckets Lane in Elkridge, where officials said burned food on the stove was controlled by the sprinkler system.

One person was taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center for burns to the hands and arms, according to officials.

At 1 p.m. firefighters said they found a shed engulfed in flames close to a house in the 5500 block of Landing Road in Elkridge. Nobody was injured, and all evacuated safely, officials reported.

Ashes from a fire pit had not been disposed of properly, sparking the blaze, according to the fire marshal.

Get out, stay out and call 911 if there is a fire in the home, officials advised.

Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services tips to prevent fires:

COOKING: Stay in the kitchen with food that is cooking. Clear the area around the stove of combustible items like potholers, towels and utensils.

HEATING: Put space heaters 3 feet from items that may catch fire. Turn off space heaters before sleeping.

ASH DISPOSAL: Put ashes in a metal container capped with a lid, then take it outside and put it at least 10 feet away from any structure. Leave them there for several days before disposal.

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE: Employ a licensed professional to clean and inspect the chimney annually.Consider having home fire sprinklers installed. Test smoke alarms monthly.

Photo of shed fire on Landing Road, courtesy of Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services.