ELKTON, MD — It was supposed to be a quiet Thursday evening — until residents returned home to find smoke pouring out of their townhouse, setting off a chain of events that left eight people without a home and three dogs dead.
The fire broke out around 6:15 p.m. at 117 Huntsman Drive in Elkton, a middle unit in a block of townhouses, according to the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Investigators determined the cause: unattended cooking.
What happened in those terrifying minutes
When residents came home to find heavy smoke and flames, they quickly evacuated — and didn’t stop there. They rushed next door to 115 Huntsman Drive and got those neighbors out safely too.
No people were injured.
But at 119 Huntsman Drive — the unit on the other side — three dogs were not so lucky. The pets died from smoke inhalation. Their owners were not home at the time.
The detail that’s hard to ignore
A smoke alarm was present in the home. It just never went off.
Investigators found the alarm failed to activate because of low battery power — a reminder of how a small, overlooked maintenance task can carry devastating consequences.
Total damage was estimated at $100,000. Eight people are now displaced.
