Edgewood Family Injured In Townhouse Fire; Mother and Children Jumped to Escape

From the Harford County Sheriff’s Office:

[March 6, 2015, Edgewood, MD] On Friday, March 6, 2015, at 2:48 a.m. Deputies from the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, Troopers from the Maryland State Police, Bel Air Barracks, and the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company were dispatched to the 1800 block of Eloise Lane for a fire and were alerted by dispatch that people were possibly trapped inside the home. Harford County Sheriff’s Deputies were in the area and were first to quickly arrive on scene.

Upon arrival, the Deputies found a woman and three of her children on the front lawn of the residence. A neighbor helped the mother and children safely jump from the upper level of the home. The mother alerted deputies that another child was possibly trapped inside. Deputies attempted to gain entry into the home, but the heavy smoke and fire pushed them back. After hearing screams, Harford County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Timothy Rumbaugh, Deputy John Deasel, Jr, and two Troopers, TFC Francis Shanks and TFC Micah Spessato, responded to the rear of the residence and located a child that had been pushed to an upper floor window by thick, black smoke. The Deputies and Troopers encouraged the child to jump from the window. The child jumped, and Deputy Deasel was able to safely catch him.

Units from the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company arrived on scene by 2:55 a.m., took over first aid of the residents from the Deputies and started their attack of the fire. A second alarm was requested shortly thereafter. They had the fire under control in 40 minutes. A total of 73 fire service personnel and 27 pieces of equipment from several local fire companies responded to the fire.

There were no working smoke alarms found inside the home. The Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company would like to remind residents of the importance of working smoke alarms. Smoke alarms save lives. This weekend as we “spring forward,” make sure when you change the time on your clock you also change the batteries in your smoke alarms and ensure they are in working order.

The woman and children, ages 12, 10, 8 and 4, were transported to the hospital with minor injuries and are expected to be released by the end of the day. A Harford County Sheriff’s Office Deputy received a minor hand injury during the rescue, but did not require medical treatment. A member of the Volunteer Fire Service suffered an ankle injury and was transported to a local hospital.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.

From the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal:

Deputy State Fire Marshal’s are investigating the cause of a fire that forced a family of five to jump out of windows to escape.

Thirty-four year-old Anna Stansfield and her four children were encouraged to jump out of the front window of the dwelling by a neighbor who assisted in catching three of her children. The fourth child, Alex Stansfield jumped out of a rear facing window to escape. All four children ages 4 – 12 were transported to Johns Hopkins Pediatric Center for non-life threatening injuries and have since been released. Anna Stansfield was transported to Johns Hopkins Bayview for treatment of mild smoke inhalation injuries and injuries received from jumping out of the window. She is expected to be released today.

The 2:44 a.m. two alarm fire at 1844 Eloise Lane in Edgewood was brought under control within 40 minutes by nearly 70 firefighters from Joppa-Magnolia, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Abingdon, Bel Air, Aberdeen, Fallston, White Marsh and Kingsville fire departments. The Harford County Hazardous Materials Team assisted with rehab efforts of the fire service members. Maryland State Police and the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and the Harford County EMS Foundation assisted with patient care at the scene. One firefighter received a minor ankle injury on ice and was treated and released from Upper Chesapeake Medical Center.

Investigators determined the fire originated in the basement laundry room and quickly gained access to upper floors through utility chases in the center of the townhouse. The cause for the fire remains under investigation at this time. Damage estimates to the structure and contents are $150,000. No working smoke alarms were located during the on-scene investigation.

The town homes in this development were constructed in 1976, which is long before the installation requirements of life saving residential fire sprinklers that occurred throughout the State in 1992.