CHESTER, Md.- Two Queen Anne's County teenagers face arson and other related charged in connection to a fire that happened on Kent Island on Friday, authorities said.
According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office, the fire happened just before 5:30 p.m. Friday. It took firefighters about two hours to bring the fire under control in the vacant two and a half story home on Castle Marina Road in Chester.
Deputy State Fire Marshals determined the house was owned by "K Hovnanian at Kent Island LLC" and was built in 1900. The estimated value of the home based on the square footage is $250,000, authorities said.
Deputy state fire marshals determined the cause of the fire to be arson. They were later able to locate and interview two teenagers, ages 14 and 15, who confessed to pulling old Christmas trees into the house and intentionally setting them on fire with a lighter they had found. The teens then ran from the scene without reporting the fire, fire officials said.
Deputy state fire marshals will be forwarding charges of second-degree arson, first-degree malicious burning, malicious destruction of property, burglary, and trespassing to the Department of Juvenile Services for formal court action.
The home was considered a complete loss.
