HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. — It was just after 2:30 in the morning when firefighters arrived on Hill Court in Havre de Grace to put out a fire that the homeowners could not.
“The wife was awake, and she saw that the space heater had caught on fire back in the sunroom,” said Charles Milliner, one of the victims’ neighbors, “She ran up to get her husband and he came down and thought maybe he could put it out, but it was already started too much and they just packed up and got out as fast as they could.”
Investigators with the State Fire Marshal’s Office have confirmed the heating device appears to have been the cause of the fire and they say others this time of year should take note of the potential danger.
“People are using all these alternative heat sources. We want them to be safe,” said Sr. Deputy State Fire Marshal Oliver Alkire, “Always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on these devices. Keep them away come combustibles and don’t go to bed with them on.”
It is a message, which resonates with the victims’ neighbor.
“I’ve heard that those space heaters though are dangerous,” said Milliner, “I mean they do cause a lot of fires. You’ve got to watch and keep an eye on them.”
It took 65 firefighters about 45 minutes to douse the flames, and paramedics transported one firefighter to a hospital.
That firefighter has since been treated and released.
The fire caused an estimated $450,000 worth of damage.
