Firefighters work to extinguish the last of the fire that claimed the life of a 75 year-old woman and left her rescuer seriously injured. (Photo courtesy of fire marshal)CHARLES COUNTY, Md. (April 7, 2022)—Officials from Medstar Washington Hospital Center reported that Barbara Sue Thompson, 75, succumbed to the injuries she had received during a fire inside her home yesterday in Hughesville.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal and Charles County Sheriff's Office are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire that also seriously injured a 44-year-old man who rescued Thompson. He remains hospitalized in stable condition.
At around 9:30 a.m., firefighters from Charles, St. Mary's, Prince George's County, and Charles County Sheriff's Office responded to a reported dwelling fire at 5950 Foster Place in Hughesville.
Deputy State Fire Marshals determined the fire originated on the first floor of the dwelling and concluded the male occupant was on the home's second floor when he heard an explosion and saw smoke from the HVAC vents. He then went to the first floor and found heavy fire conditions in a bedroom on the first floor. He entered the room, rescued Thompson, and was subsequently injured.
This is the fourth fire fatality in less than a week in Maryland, and all are under investigation, including a fire in Waldorf that claimed the lives of a woman and infant last Thursday.
"These tragic incidents are heartbreaking and are a reminder that fire is everyone's fight. Get out, stay out. Have working smoke alarms and an escape plan in place," stated State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci.
"The first line of defense against fire is prevention," Geraci continued, "Prevention starts with awareness. I'm asking all Maryland families to be aware of the fire hazards in your home and address them sooner rather than later."