A fire in Upper Marlboro Saturday night displaced one family and injured a Prince George’s County firefighter.
Firefighters arrived at the fire on the 4700 block of Colonel Ashton Place at about 7:15 p.m. Saturday to find that the “fire had a head start,” said Fire spokesman Mark Brady.
Firefighters believe the fire was caused by an opening in the fire shaft of a fireplace that allowed embers to escape, Brady said. Because the fire grew in the walls, the house’s sprinkler system was ineffective, allowing the balze to reach the second floor and the roof of the two-story townhouse.
The injured firefighter was treated and released. The damage is estimated at $85,000.
