A heartbreaking house fire in Belcamp, Maryland has garnered national attention after investigators concluded the fire was accidentally started by the family’s own dog.
According to the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal, a fire broke out at a single-family home on Foxglove Court in Harford County on July 10 while the homeowner was out. Investigators later pieced together the series of events with the help of footage captured by the family’s Ring security cameras.
The video shows Bo, one of the family’s dogs, jumping on the kitchen counter in search of food. Authorities believe the dog inadvertently started a toaster, causing a flammable liquid stored nearby to catch fire. The flames spread to the kitchen before engulfing most of the house.
The Deputy State Fire Marshal officially ruled the incident an accidental fire after reviewing the footage. Firefighters from the Abingdon Fire Company arrived just after 5:30 pm and took about 20 minutes to get the fire under control. Reportedly, approximately 30 firefighters responded to the emergency.
Three beloved pets could not be saved
Although neighbors swung into action and managed to save Bo and another dog named Eddie, not every animal in the home was as lucky. As CBS News bluntly put it, “A family dog is responsible for starting a fire that killed three pets and caused $150,000 in damage to the home.”
The family’s two cats, along with a third dog, Dakota, died in the fire before rescuers could arrive. Later reports revealed that the family’s bearded dragon, Yoda, survived after receiving critical veterinary care. The owners of the house were outside at the time of the fire, so no one was injured.
Homeowner Chad Ellis later described the incident as “a completely freak accident”, explaining that Bo had a habit of climbing onto countertops in search of food. They believe the dog was trying to reach bread placed in a nearby bread box when the toaster was turned on.
Extensive damage and an important fire safety lesson
fire officer Allegedly The home sustained an estimated $150,000 in structural damage, while $50,000 worth of other items inside the residence were destroyed by fire, smoke, soot, and water. The family has since been left with a home that is largely unlivable.
Although the circumstances are uncommon, fire safety experts say incidents involving pets are more common than many homeowners realize.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, pets accidentally cause about 1,000 home fires each year in the United States by activating cooking appliances, knocking over candles or making contact with electrical appliances. Experts recommend keeping countertops clear of food that might tempt pets, turning off small kitchen appliances when not in use, using stove knob covers, and maintaining working smoke alarms throughout the home.
