Fire ravaged the same Dundalk house where police say a love triangle led to attempted murder ? a link too great to be coincidental, at least according to neighbors who watched the blaze.
Residents along the unit block of North Dundalk Avenue said the house has stood vacant since May 18, when owner Kenneth Allen was shot by his wife?s alleged lover after she confessed to their affair. Police charged Ricky Kevin Wilkins, a convicted drug manufacturer, with attempted murder, but Wilkins was released on $100,000 bail on May 24.
“Police escorted them back to get some of their things, but they haven?t been back since,” neighbor Joanne Hamburg said.
“They said they were afraid of retaliation.”
Allen?s wife admitted to her affair, when Allen told her to invite over Wilkins, Baltimore County police spokesman Bill Toohey said. Wilkins arrived with his girlfriend, the discussion grew “heated” and Wilkins shot Allen in the head, Toohey said.
Allen was treated for superficial wounds, said Toohey, who declined to make an immediate connection between Tuesday?s fire and the shooting despite neighbors? surmises.
“There is no obvious connection: however, the cause of the fire is being investigated,” Toohey said.
Charred chunks of awning fell from the town house Tuesday, now just an ashy shell. Fire officials said the two-alarm blaze began just after 1:30 p.m., and about 15 units responded, closing portions of Dundalk Avenue for more than an hour. One adult male civilian was treated at Johns Hopkins Bayview for smoke inhalation.
Smoke damage spread to both adjacent houses, and other neighbors said they fled to their cars.
“It burnt really fast,” Jay Foster said. “They?re lucky the whole block didn?t go.”
