Fallen Firefighter Identified After 7-Alarm Blaze In Clarksville

CLARKSVILLE, MD — A firefighter died battling a seven-alarm blaze in Howard County early Monday morning. Crews from around the region worked for about 10 hours to put out the inferno.

Firefighter Nathan Flynn, 34, of Havre de Grace, was identified as the deceased. He is the first career firefighter to die in the line of duty in Howard County, according to County Executive Allan Kittleman.

"This is a very sad, tragic day for Howard County," Kittleman said at a 10 a.m. news conference Monday outside Howard County General Hospital.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan ordered flags across the state lowered, and they will remain at half-staff until the day of Flynn's interment.

"We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Howard County Firefighter Nathan Flynn, a 13-year veteran of the department, husband and father who bravely ran toward danger," Hogan said in a statement.

Flynn, who lived in Havre de Grace, is survived by his wife and children. There is a donation page set up for the family through GoFundMe.

The deadly house fire began shortly before 2 a.m. at a home in the 7000 block of Woodscape Road in Clarksville, Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services Deputy Chief William Anuszewski said.

As firefighters made their way inside, Flynn fell from the first floor to the basement, Anuszewski said. Mayday was called at 2:20 a.m., and an extensive search ensued to find Flynn. The fire intensified as firefighters were inside, the deputy chief said.

Crews searching for the fallen firefighter encountered heavy fire conditions in the basement, according to Anuszewski, who reported Flynn was located and removed from the building at 2:42 a.m. He was taken to Howard County General Hospital in Columbia, and his family was notified that he had succumbed to his injuries at approximately 5:30 a.m.

Flynn was "a heck of a firefighter," said Anuszewski, whose eyes welled up with tears at times during the press conference. "He loved the fire service. He loved his family, both his fire department family and his home family."

The fire remains under investigation and may have been caused by a lightning strike, authorities reported. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was assisting in the probe, which authorities said was standard procedure for line-of-duty deaths.

Fire officials said that three people who had been inside the home called 911 and reported a possible lightning strike before 2 a.m., then got out of the house on their own by the time firefighters arrived.

The residence where the deadly fire erupted was owned by Janet Siddiqui, according to WBAL.

Siddiqui is a pediatrician who served on the Howard County Board of Education and tried unsuccessfully to run for County Council; she was defeated in the June Democratic primary to represent District 4, which includes parts of Clarksville, Fulton, North Laurel and Columbia.

As the flames spread throughout the home, crews from several jurisdictions helped battle the fire.

The seventh alarm was called after 5 a.m., according to Howard County fire officials. Each alarm means that more personnel were needed to assist in battling the blaze.

Getting worse and worse.... This fire is growing.... These firefighters working hard to combat the blaze. #GetUpDC @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/b4anBQJc8Z
— Evan Koslof (@ekoslof) July 23, 2018

Hours after it began, the fire continued burning at the $1.175 million house.

After 8 a.m., the fire reignited at Siddiqui's residence, where WBAL showed flames shooting out of the roof.

Flames have reignited at this seven alarm fire in Clarksville where a firefighter has died. Details at #WBAL pic.twitter.com/jDbBT0eur8
— Theo Hayes WBAL (@TheoHayesWBAL) July 23, 2018

The fire was out before noon, according to authorities, who said the residents have been displaced.

Crews from Howard County were assisted by firefighters from surrounding areas — including Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Montgomery and Prince George's counties — in fighting Monday's massive blaze.

While Flynn worked as a career firefighter in Howard County, he also served his Harford County community.
He was a member of the Susquehanna Hose Company, joining the volunteer fire company in Havre de Grace in 2017. Flynn was also a member of the Harford County Technical Rescue Team, according to Harford County Executive Barry Glassman.

"On behalf of the citizens of Harford County, we salute Nate for his service and his bravery, and we are grief-stricken for the young family that he leaves behind," Glassman said in a statement. "Our community will support them in any way that they need during this difficult time. We pray for Nate, his family, and his fire service brothers and sisters in both counties."

Our thoughts this morning are with our friends @HCDFRS after the line of duty death of one of their members in a 7-alarm house fire in #Clarksville. EA
— Baltimore County Police and Fire Department (@BACOPoliceFire) July 23, 2018

The men and women of the Sykesville-Freedom District Fire Department wish to send our love and condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the @HCDFRS member who died in the line of duty this morning.

Rest easy. We’ll take it from here. #RIP
— Sykesville Fire Dept (@SykesvilleFD) July 23, 2018

Prince George’s County Fire Chief @BenBmbarksdale and the entire PGFD stand alongside our neighboring County and mutual aid partner @HCDFRS & @HCDFRSChief as we mourn a #LODD of one of their Firefighters. Death occurred while battling a 7-Alarm house fire in Clarksville, MD
— Mark Brady (@PGFDPIO) July 23, 2018

MCFRS Fire Chief Scott Goldstein & the men & women @mcfrs share the sorrow & grief of members @HCDFRS & the greater Howard County Community on the ‘line of duty death’ of one of their members while battling a multi-alarm Clarksville house fire early this morning pic.twitter.com/QOTrj6dreQ
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) July 23, 2018

Photo courtesy of the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services.