A tragic house fire in Charles County, Maryland, on Sunday morning has left three people dead and three others missing.
Officials confirmed that six of the nine individuals connected to the home — four children and two adults — did not survive. Of the three survivors, one escaped during the fire, while two others were not present when the blaze began.
Investigators believe the fire started on the right side of the home within an enclosed porch, though the exact cause is still under investigation, said Master Deputy State Fire Marshal Oliver Alkire. Heavy equipment was expected at the scene later Sunday to help clear debris.
WTOP’s Jimmy Alexander reported that the home was “engulfed in flames” and took firefighters over an hour to bring under control. The Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department, along with multiple neighboring departments, responded to the 3000 block of Declaration Court North around 8:40 a.m. after reports of people trapped inside. More than 70 personnel were involved in the effort.
One firefighter was hospitalized, and another was treated at the scene for a medical emergency.
Fire officials said it’s unclear if the home had smoke alarms and stressed the importance of having working alarms and practicing home fire drills so all occupants know how to escape safely in an emergency.