Investigators from the state Fire Marshal?s Office have determined that the May fire that destroyed two apartment buildings in Forest Hill was accidentally started by a carelessly discarded cigarette.
The May 12 fire at the Pond apartments at 1715 and 1713 Landmark Drive took more than 100 firefighters an hour to bring under control. Officials say the fire started in a trash can on a third-floor porch, spread along an exterior wall to the attic and roof, then sparked a blaze on an adjacent building. Though there was a space between the two buildings, the heat from the fire was intense enough to start a blaze across the gap, Deputy Chief Fire Marshal Jason Mowbray said.
The fire caused as much as $1 million in damage, Fire Marshal?s Office spokesman Joe Zarulo said.
“When you smoke, you have to be careful what you do with your cigarette butts,” Zarulo said.
Though the smoker in question said he put the cigarette out, Zarulo said it appeared the butt set fire to the trash before spreading to the rest of the porch.
Two firefighters were injured while fighting the blaze, Harford County fire and EMS spokesman Rich Gardiner said, and as many as 24 families were displaced. No charges have been filed, Mowbray said.
