Sparks from a fireplace were ruled the cause of the first of two fires at Lutherville-Timonium home on Thanksgiving day and the day after, the Baltimore County Fire Department said, and the same child alerted occupants to both blazes.
Fire investigators said the first flames that broke out at the two story home in the 10700 block of Greenspring Avenue were caused by sparks from the fireplace traveling up the chimney and igniting the roof. The family was home on Thanksgiving day when a child playing outside saw the fire on the home's roof and alerted family inside, Baltimore County Police said. The occupants evacuated the home safely. Firefighters had the flames contained by 2:49 p.m. The fire department said the damage was mostly contained to the roof and an upstairs bedroom.
Fire crews returned to the address at 3:32 a.m. Friday. By 3:53 a.m., commanders called for a second alarm after seeing fire through the roof. Those flames spread rapidly as firefighters used several large-capacity tankers to try to contain the blaze.
The same child who alerted his parents to the first fire also alerted the family of the second, the fire department said.
A third alarm was called at 4:22 a.m. During their efforts to fight the fire, at one point fire personnel were ordered to leave the structure due to the threat of collapse. At 5:03 a.m., a partial collapse did occur, firefighters said. In total more than 40 pieces of fire equipment were used to fight the three-alarm blaze.
The fire department said no one was injured. Due to smoke, water and fire damage, the family spent the night in an adjacent pool house.
