OAKLAND, Md. — A one-story home in Garrett County sustained major damage in a structure fire Monday night, leaving one resident injured and causing an estimated $400,000 in property and content losses, according to local fire officials.
The fire was reported at 112 Loch Deer Road at 9:09 p.m. and quickly escalated to a two-alarm response. The Oakland Volunteer Fire Department led the firefighting effort, with 40 firefighters bringing the flames under control within 25 minutes.
The blaze originated on the rear deck of the single-family residence, with investigators determining the preliminary cause to be accidental, stemming from a grill fire. The homeowner, identified as one of the residents, discovered the fire.
Donald and Andrea Shaffer owned and occupied the home. One resident sustained injuries in the incident and was initially transported to Garrett Regional Medical Center. The individual was later flown to West Penn Burn Center for further treatment. The extent of the injuries has not been disclosed.
Smoke alarms were present in the home, though no fire alarm or sprinkler systems were installed. Despite the damage, several pet dogs were able to escape the fire without injury, according to responders.
Red Cross assisting displaced residents
The structure loss was estimated at $300,000, with an additional $100,000 in contents damaged. No arrests were made, and no firefighter injuries were reported.
The American Red Cross is currently assisting the displaced family. “The family is being assisted by the American Red Cross,” the incident report noted.
No further information has been released regarding the injured resident’s condition or recovery timeline.
