On Thursday, April 17, 2025, at approximately 5:23 a.m., firefighters from Charles County responded to 6145 Kerrick Drive in La Plata, for the reported house on fire with animals trapped.
The 911 caller reported a fire in the laundry room with two dogs trapped.
Crews arrived to find fire showing from the large 1-story residence and made entry to find the fire spreading throughout the entire first floor.
Within 25 minutes of arrival, the incident was declared a defensive operation due to the structural stability of the roof and walls, which later collapsed into the residence.
Firefighters operated on the scene for over two hours and controlled the fire within 1 hour.
The American Red Cross was requested to assist the two adults and one child displaced by the fire. The Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal responded to investigate the cause of the fire.
One firefighter was transported to an area hospital after suffering a medical emergency at the water supply site. One homeowner was transported to an area hospital with smoke inhalation.
While operating on the scene of this house fire, a second working structure fire was dispatched at approximately 6:16 a.m., which alerted firefighters from Charles, Prince George’s, Calvert, and St. Mary’s counties in Maryland, along with units from Virginia, to the 9000 block of Brunswick Road in Faulkner, for a reported house fire with occupants trapped.
Sadly, two people died in the Faulkner fire, both fires are under investigation at this time and updates will be provided when they become available.
All photos are courtesy of the La Plata, Cobb Island, and Bryans Road Volunteer Fire Departments, and the Charles County Volunteer Firemen’s Association, Inc.
