Fatality Reported in Forest Hill House Fire; Blaze Remains Under Investigation

One person was killed in a fire which broke out in a Fallston home Thursday morning, fire officials said.

The blaze was reported at approximately 9:50 a.m. at a home on the 1800 block of Creston Drive in Fallston, near the intersection of Creston Drive and Montford Drive. Initial callers reported that one person may have been still inside the home and unable to exit, according to Dave Williams of the Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Association.

The first units on the scene, from the Fallston Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Company, discovered a two-story home “with heavy fire involvement.” According to Williams, fire personnel engaged in a defensive operation, attempting to extinguish the fire from the outside.

After most of the visible fire was put out, fire crews entered the home and during a search located a deceased victim inside. Positive identification of the victim had not been obtained by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner as of Thursday afternoon, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office.

One firefighter was transported to a local hospital by ambulance for evaluation and treatment of “a non-life threatening respiratory ailment.

The fire was brought fully under control in about 30 minutes, Williams said, with volunteer firefighters from Harford, Baltimore, and York counties responding. Large-capacity water tankers had to be called in, as the fire was located in an area not served by public hydrants.

An investigation into the origin and cause of the fire remained underway by members of the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office.