2 Ferndale House Fires Sunday Cause $225K In Damage

FERNDALE, MD — Two house fires were reported Sunday less than a mile apart in Ferndale, prompting a warning from the Anne Arundel County Fire Department to make sure you have working smoke detectors in your house. While no residents were injured in the fires, two pets died in one of the blazes.

Emergency dispatchers received multiple calls about 1:35 p.m. reporting smoke coming from a dwelling in the 800 block of Bentwillow Drive. Several callers said a resident was still inside the burning house. Firefighters arrived to find smoke coming from the side and rear of the single-family home.

A search by firefighters determined that the only person home at the time had gotten out of the house before fire crews arrived, even though the residence had no working smoke alarms. The fire was brought under control in 15 minutes by 30 firefighters from Anne Arundel County and Baltimore Washington International Airport.

Fire investigators say the fire was accidental and was caused by an electrical problem. There were no injuries reported. However, two family pets, a dog and a cat, died in the fire.

Damage is estimated at $75,000. Two residents have been displaced and are being assisted by family.

Just after 3 p.m., while other firefighters were still on the scene of the Bentwillow Drive fire, crews were called to a house fire in the 100 block of Ferndale Road. Flames were coming from the front of a two-story, single-family house as responders arrived; The fire was brought under control in about 15 minutes by 30 firefighters from Anne Arundel County, BWI Airport, and Baltimore County.

The two residents of the home have been displaced and are being helped by the Red Cross. The cause of the fire is undetermined, with damages estimated at $150,000. There were no injuries.

The fire department reminds residents that smoke alarms shoud be installed inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. They should be tested monthly, and if they are more than ten years old, they should be replaced.

Photo courtesy of fire department