The aftermath of the house where a man and his dog perished in a fire last Saturday night.WALDORF, Md. (January 29, 2019)—Deputy State Fire Marshals were requested to investigate the origin and cause of late evening fatal Waldorf fire Saturday night. The 11:05 p.m. fire occurred at 7430 Bensville Road in Waldorf.
The one alarm blaze in the single story, wood frame house brought out 45 firefighters from the Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department and surrounding fire departments. Firefighters were able to control the fire in 20 minutes however an adult male and a dog were found deceased during suppression activities by firefighters. The adult male will be transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. The other three occupants of the home are displaced and being assisted by family.
Fire Investigators determined the fire originated inside the living room of the home however the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation. The fire caused approximately $220,000.00 in damages to the structure and another $50,000.00 in damages to the contents of the home. Smoke alarms were found in the home however it has not yet been determined if they activated. The home was not equipped with a fire sprinkler system.
The Charles County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigative Division is assisting investigators from the Office of the State Fire Marshal with the investigation.