ELKTON, Md. - Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire that claimed the life of a 55-year-old man and critically injured a woman on Maryland's upper Eastern Shore Thursday morning.
The Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office said that just before 7 a.m., a neighbor observed a large fire at 65 Walnut Grove Road in Elkton. The Cecil County Sheriff's Office was the first to arrive and discovered the fire involved a camper trailer with heavy fire throughout just behind the home. Deputies confirmed a deceased man was located in a window. Firefighters with Singerly Fire Company arrived moments later and discovered another critically injured 55-year-old woman outside the home.
Firefighters from multiple departments were able to contain the blaze to the camper, but not before it extensively damaged the adjacent home. Paramedics initially treated the woman, and Maryland State Police Aviation Command later flew her to Johns Hopkins Bayview Burn Center, where she is listed in critical condition. A man living in the home that was damaged was able to escape without injury. Investigators have confirmed that all of the parties are related.
Deputy State Fire Marshals, along with their partners assigned to the Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division, will work throughout the day to determine the origin and cause of the fire.
A joint investigation between the police agency having jurisdiction and the Office of the State Fire Marshal is standard operating procedure whenever a fatal fire occurs.