CALVERT COUNTY, Md. — A house in southern Maryland with "extreme hoarding conditions" was destroyed in a fire early this morning, reported the Maryland State Fire Marshal.
The owner was able to safely escape the two-story home, on Mattingly Avenue in Indian Head, Charles County. She had lived in the house for 36 years, according to online property records.
The fire broke out in the kitchen at about 3:54 a.m. Thirty-eight firefighters spent 40 minutes working to control it.
The fire caused an estimated $400,000 in damage, including $10,000 to the home's contents. The fire marshal's office said the house has "extreme hoarding conditions throughout."
The cause remains under investigation. The owner is being assisted by the American Red Cross.
