KITZMILLER, MD—A structure fire severely damaged a two-story vacation home located at 3440 Kitzmiller Road, resulting in an estimated loss of $250,000. The incident occurred at 8:02 PM on May 1, and was discovered after local residents noticed smoke and alerted the Kitzmiller Fire Department.
Upon arrival, firefighters found the fire originating from the rear bedroom of the home, owned by Matthew McKenzie. It took approximately 10 minutes for the 25 responding firefighters to control the blaze. Thankfully, there were no injuries reported.
The status of the smoke alarms in the residence could not be determined, and there was no fire sprinkler system installed. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. Additional information revealed that the owner had recently prepared the house for summer rental and had left the property shortly before the fire was reported.
Local authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire.