Elkton – Authorities believe a resident’s cigarette was the cause of yesterday’s, Thursday, apartment fire in Elkton, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office. Officials said that the resident, who lives on the top floor, discovered the fire on his rear deck.
Just after 2:40 pm fire crews from across Cecil County, Maryland and New Castle County, Delaware responded to the 200 block of Cherry Hill Road for reports of a Mutli-Family dwelling on fire.
Arriving crews found the top floor and roof fully involved. Command called for a 2nd alarm and a subsequent 3rd alarm, bringing additional crews from New Castle County and Perryville, Maryland.
As crews worked to bring the blaze under control portions of the roof collapsed causing debris to fall to the ground, narrowly missing one fire fighter.
State Fire Marshals reported that one firefighter sustained a minor injury and was transported by EMS and one firefighter sustained a minor injury and refused treatment on scene.
Marshals believe that the resident that discovered the fire discarded a cigarette in a homemade ashtray constructed of a wood stump.
A reported (20) occupants have been displaced and are being assisted by Red Cross.
Fire Marshals estimated that the loss to the structure and to its contents at $1,000,000.
