Dublin Church Fire Leaves Soot, Smoke Damage: Fire Marshal

A kitchen fire at Dublin United Methodist Church Tuesday afternoon caused $5,000 in damage, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

The fire marshal said the blaze in the 1500 block of Whiteford Road was accidental, starting after items atop the stove ignited.

Parishioners preparing to make Jewish apple cakes for this weekend’s Darlington Apple Festival and had plugged in an extra stove, according to the report. Two burners were on and ignited a Tupperware container on the stovetop, the report said.

Parishioners were in another room at the time, the fire marshal reported.

An automatic smoke alarm notified authorities at 4:19 p.m. Tuesday, and crews from Whiteford, Bel Air, Darlington and Level responded and found church members had put out the blaze before they arrived with fire extinguishers, the report said.

Moderate smoke and soot damage remained in the bottom of the church, the fire marshal reported, with an estimated $5,000 in damage to items inside the church.