Scotland fire leaves two teenagers burned

A 19-year-old male and a 17-year-old female were inside the house when the fire started, said Jason Turner, fire chief at the Bay District Volunteer Fire Department. The two were able to get out of the house but suffered severe burns.

Two Maryland State Police medevac helicopters were called to take them to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, according to the state fire marshal’s office.

A cat survived but a dog and rodent did not, according to Turner.

According to the state fire marshal’s office, the fire caused $175,000 in damage to the home along with $50,000 of damage to the contents of the residence.

While no smoke alarm was present, the state fire marshal’s office reported that the fire originated in the living room and was discovered by an occupant.

A total of 45 firefighters were on site and brought the fire under control in 30 minutes, with the primary responding company being Ridge Volunteer Fire Department.

“While the fire remains under investigation it is not suspicious in nature,” the fire marshal’s office reported Wednesday.

There were a total of four occupants displaced from the home and are being assisted by family and friends.

According to Jason Adams, the public information officer with Bay District fire company, there were reports of hoarding-type conditions in connection with the Scotland fire. This spurred the fire department to release information about the dangers of hoarding, a recognized mental health condition, when it comes to battling house fires.

“At this time, it is not known whether the hoarding conditions contributed to the severity of their injuries,” Adams wrote in an email to Southern Maryland News.