Dog Perished In Joppa House Fire: Officials

JOPPA, MD — A dog perished, a firefighter was hospitalized and residents were displaced following a house fire in Joppa Sunday morning, according to officials. The fire marshal attributed the blaze to smoking material on the front porch and credited a smoke alarm with saving the life of the resident home at the time.

At 7:44 a.m., firefighters were dispatched to the 300 block of Avedon Court. The woman who lived there had awakened to a smoke-filled home after the smoke alarm sounded, the fire marshal said. She discovered the front porch was ablaze and escaped through the back door, then called 911.

Approximately 50 firefighters responded and brought the blaze under control in 25 minutes, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

The fire extended throughout the house and into the attic, the fire marshal said.

_{Photo courtesy of the Office of the State Fire Marshal.}

Crews from around the region assisted in the effort to control the blaze, including from Joppa, White Marsh, Kingsville, Abingdon, APG, Delaware and Grasonsville, the latter two of which were staffing Joppa's station due to its fire banquet.

There was heavy fire coming from the rancher when the Joppa chief arrived, according to the Kingsville Volunteer Fire Company, and the water supply presented a challenge.

Firefighters from White Marsh said they stretched a line from their engine and established a water source at the scene, then battled the blaze from inside the residence.

_{Photo courtesy of the White Marsh Volunteer Fire Company.}

The Harford County hazmat crew and Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company provided assistance, helping crews stay hydrated and replenished, officials reported.

One firefighter from the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company was taken to Upper Chesapeake with chest pains, officials said. Authorities attributed the hospitalization to medical reasons.

A dog perished in the blaze, according to the fire marshal.

There was $210,000 in structural damage to the home, which was owned by Long & Foster and where two residents lived, the fire marshal said. Approximately $50,000 worth of items inside the home were also lost.

The blaze was ruled accidental due to smoking material discarded on the front porch.

Relatives and the Red Cross are assisting the residents.

Towne Grill & Pub at 1006 Joppa Farm Road in Joppatowne has started a collection to help the family.

Embedded video from Harford Fire Blog. Photo courtesy of Kingsville Volunteer Fire Company.