Sunday Night Fire at Abingdon Senior Home Sends Firefighter to Hospital

(Photo Credit: Abingdon Volunteer Fire Company)

An accidental fire which broke out in a four-unit senior apartment complex sent one firefighter to a local hospital and caused severe damage to the building, fire officials said.

The fire was reported at approximately 7:15 p.m. Sunday in the attic of a four-unit “cottage” style apartment complex at Woodsdale Senior Housing in the 3800 block of Memory Lane in Abingdon, according to a release from the Office of the State Fire Marshal. A total of 60 firefighters from the Abingdon, Bel Air, Joppa-Magnolia, and Aberdeen Proving Ground fire companies responded and brought the blaze under control in approximately 20 minutes.

While battling the blaze, one firefighter from the Abingdon Volunteer Fire Company was transported to the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center after suffering an unspecified “medical emergency,” according to the State Fire Marshal’s Office. Three of the four units in the structure had tenants, but only two occupants were home at the time of the fire; none were injured, and all are being assisted by the Harford County Disaster Assistance team.

The fire was traced to an electrical failure in the building’s attic; sprinklers and smoke alarms were present but did not activate due to the fire originating in the attic. State Fire Marshal investigators estimated damage to the building at $75,000 and damages to its contents at $50,000.