UPDATE: Fire Marshal Investigating 2-Alarm Fire that Destroyed Home in Great Mills

August 13, 2019

8/13/19: On Saturday, August 10, 2019, at approximately 5:32 a.m., firefighters from Bay District and surrounding departments responded to 45514 Finnea Way, in Great Mills, for the reported structure fire.

Crews arrived on scene to find a 2-story single family residence with fire showing from the first and second floor, garage and roof.

The owner has been identified as Ronnie Hurst, the estimated loss of structure and contents is valued at over $350,000.

Smoke alarms were present and activated. The fire was discovered by a neighbor and the origin of fire was the garage.

The cause is still under investigation.

More than 50 firefighters responded to the scene and controlled the fire in approximately 2 hours.

One firefighter sustained an injury to the ankle and was transported to an area hospital and released the same day.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Office of the State Fire Marshal, Southern Regional Office, at 443-550-6822.

8/10/19: On Saturday, August 10, 2019, at approximately 5:35 a.m., firefighters from Bay District, NAS Patuxent River, Hollywood, Leonardtown, Valley Lee, Ridge, Mechanicsville and Calvert County responded to Finnea Way in Great Mills, for the reported house on fire with people possibly trapped.

Dispatchers advised they received multiple 911 calls reporting the house was on fire.

Crews arrived on the scene to find a two story single family residence with heavy fire showing from the garage, first and second floor, with bystanders reporting one subject possibly trapped in the basement. Firefighters requested a 2nd alarm due to the fire threatening all nearby residences.

When firefighters from Bay District, NAS Patuxent River and Hollywood sent crews inside to search, units faced fire conditions throughout the entire first and second floors. Firefighters reported all primary and secondary searches were completed and negative. Shortly after, a mayday was called for a firefighter from Bay District who fell through the first floor staircase into the basement.

All personnel were ordered to evacuate the structure due to safety. Firefighters reported the second and first floor stairs were compromised, and the floors throughout were feeling “spongy”.

One firefighter was transported to an area hospital with a leg injury, and has since been released from the hospital.

After approximately 30 minutes, all occupants of the home were accounted for and had made it safely out of the residence prior to the arrival of crews. A family dog perished in the fire.

Units operated on the scene for over 4 hours.

The Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal responded to the scene to investigate the fire, and updates will be provided as they become available.