PARSONSBURG, MD—An 11-year-old boy died in a house fire early Friday morning in Parsonsburg, according to the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal.
Firefighters were called to a home at 31615 Zion Road at about 4:20 a.m. Responding to heavy flames, crews were told by three adults who escaped the house that a child was still inside. Despite rescue attempts, the boy was pronounced dead at the scene.
Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray called the loss “devastating beyond words.” He said investigators are working to determine the cause and origin of the blaze, which is believed to have started in the back of the single-family home.
The names of the boy and his family are being withheld.
Officials noted that smoke alarms were present and activated during the fire.
The fire caused an estimated $200,000 in damage to the structure and $100,000 to its contents. The American Red Cross is assisting the family.
Mowbray stressed the importance of having working smoke alarms and a practiced home escape plan. “Even when alarms activate, every second counts,” he said.
The fire is being jointly investigated by the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division.
Photo via Office of the State Fire Marshal
