UPDATE: Woman Dies in Chapelgate House Fire
Firefighters say one teenager escaped from a second-story window.
UPDATE (9 a.m. Thursday)— A woman died Wednesday night after a fire struck a duplex in the Chapelgate section of Odenton.
Officials from the Anne Arundel County Fire Department confirmed that the woman, approximately 92 years old, was found dead inside the home in the 1300 block of Tenbrook Road. One other person, a 15-year-old boy, escaped after jumping from a second-story window.
Units first responded at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and it took 25 firefighters 30 minutes to get the blaze under control, according to a press release.
Firefighters found the victim unresponsive on the first floor of the building and pulled her out, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Additional information on the person who died was not available as officials worked to notify family members.
The fire department said investigators were still working to determine the cause of the fire, but that it caused about $150,000 in damages.
The Red Cross was notified to assist four people displaced by the fire.
The fire department said smoke alarms in the house were operational.
Neighbors said the house was occupied by at least one woman who they knew to be blind.
If the woman's death is officially ruled to be fire-related, it will be the sixth in the county this year.
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Shelly Cross
7:14 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
This is my street I hope everyone is ok!
Midge
7:18 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Thanks Tim for keeping us posted. My prayers go out to this household. And to the neighbors and other family members who might be affected. A truly tragic situation.
Sabrina petiole
7:23 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
My prays go out the family
Shane Wolfe
8:32 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
This is so sad. This is the second fatality in Chapelgate due to a house fire this year. Please folks - check your smoke/CO detectors and switch out the batteries twice a year. They save lives! Having survived a house fire myself many years ago, it's not something to take lightly!
Mike Brown
2:31 pm on Thursday, December 13, 2012
Shane, they said there were working fire alarms.
If you read the article it clearly states the following "The fire department said smoke alarms in the house were operational."
There could have been other reasons why the woman could not have got out of the house in time.
Shane Wolfe
6:41 pm on Thursday, December 13, 2012
Sorry. I went off on a tangent. I guess my comment was more of a reminder to folks to check their equipment.
I go by the house on my way out every morning. Definitely praying for the family... It looks like it started on the side closest to the front door, so maybe the way out was blocked.
Lisa collins
9:23 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
My prayers gos out to the family i live just 2 house up from them
Heather Collins
9:56 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
My prayers & my condolences go out to the family
Joey C.
3:25 pm on Thursday, December 13, 2012
I live in a neighborhood right across from chapel gate. I heard the sirens and helicopter for 10 minutes straight around 5:00. I was very worried. I went on my deck and I could smell the smoke. My prayers go to the family who is probably very devastated about the woman. I hope the teen is doing alright in somebody else's hands.
Debbi Webber
7:53 pm on Thursday, December 13, 2012
I am sorry to hear about the fire also.. very scary. I am wondering if those that live there, have you had smart meters installed yet? There have been other fires in recent months near Ft meade and the cause was not known..some areas in other cities, have had smart meters catch on fire
Shane Wolfe
8:24 pm on Thursday, December 13, 2012
Debbi - We do. They have been installing them for a few months now. First electric, and now the gas meters...
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-08-27/news/bs-bz-smart-meter-hearing-20120827_1_smart-meters-analog-meters-new-meters
Debbi Webber
9:51 pm on Thursday, December 13, 2012
Shane, have there been any other fires in that area sonce installed? I know when the ones close to Ft Meade happened, someone asked me if there were smart meters as they had no cause to why fires started.. I didnt know but have thought about it for awhile as Pepco think that is one of the companies..stopped putting them in in Philly as alot of houses were catching on fire..have you noticed any differences in having them?I have a do not put one in on my house( sign)as long as commissioner says we can continue to opt out.. and they have said they wont.. i am curious as so many places rently have no reason why house caught on fire so wondering if it is the smart meters..How long ago did they install yours? thanks Debbi
Tommy Warshaw III
10:38 am on Friday, December 14, 2012
First of all, it is a misnomer to say that the fires started for no reason. While that reason might not be readily apparent, cases of spontaneous combustion (while possible) are extremely rare. There is generally always a cause/reason.
Second, there is no hard and fast data (contrary to what the anti-SMART meter wing-nuts might tell you) that these things are any more prone to starting fires then traditional analog meters.
Calique
10:02 am on Friday, December 14, 2012
The furnace in that house is located to the rear of the former carport (walled in at the particular house) and *that* is the area where the heaviest damage looks to be in the pics I have seen. (I used to live in the same model in that neighborhood) These houses have aluminum wiring too... no one's mentioned that possibility... I guess that isn't as timely as SMART METERS!!! **GASP!**
The meter is on the back of that house, not the carport area.
And with regard to "Pepco...stopped putting them in in Philly as alot [sic] of houses were catching on fire..." <--- do you have a source for this information? How many is "a lot" ?
My thoughts are with this family, and my former neighbors.