Waldorf, MD – A Sunday morning house fire in a Waldorf neighborhood claimed six lives, including four children, as investigators worked into the night to determine the cause.
The first 911 calls came in around 8:40 a.m. for a home in the 3000 block of Declaration Court North, with reports of people trapped inside. Charles County Sheriff’s deputies arrived within minutes, finding two adults who had escaped and learning that as many as six more people were still inside. Heavy smoke and flames prevented deputies from entering.
Fire crews from the Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department and surrounding stations quickly upgraded the blaze to two alarms. While battling the fire and searching the home, firefighters discovered two other adults and four children dead inside. Another adult resident arrived while crews were still on the scene but was unharmed.
Investigators from the Office of the State Fire Marshal, ATF, and the Charles County Sheriff’s Office determined the fire began in an enclosed porch on the right side of the home.
Structural damage forced crews to shore up the building before recovering the victims. The cause remains under investigation, and the identities of the victims are pending confirmation by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
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Key Points
- Six people, including four children, died in a Sunday morning house fire in Waldorf
- Two adults escaped before fire crews arrived
- Investigators say the fire began in an enclosed porch but the cause is still under investigation