Heat Gun Started Darlington Church Fire: Officials

Darlington, MD — A small fire that broke out at a church in Darlington Thursday morning was related to a painting project, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

Painters had been prepping Darlington United Methodist Church in the 2100 block of Shuresville Road when they saw smoke at 8:53 a.m.

At the time, workers had been using a heat gun to strip away siding. The fire marshal, who ruled the blaze accidental, said the heat gun caused a nail to ignite wood behind the siding.

When they arrived around 9 a.m., firefighters saw smoke coming from the church, according to Rich Gardiner, spokesman for the Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Association.

Crews quickly determined the fire was coming from the church walls and contained it, according to Gardiner, who said firefighters had cleared the scene by 9:30 a.m.

The fire marshal reported there was $5,000 in structural damage to the 150-year-old church.

The church was one of two locations where Harford County first responders were called due to a fire in the walls Thursday morning; an hour after the church incident, Abingdon and Bel Air firefighters responded to a home in Bel Air where smoke was coming from a wall near the front door.

See Also: Fire Breaks Out in Walls of Bel Air Home

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