Firefighter Sustains Minor Injuries Battling Bel Air Blaze Sunday Night

A firefighter sustained minor injuries battling an accidental fire which severely damaged a Bel Air home Sunday night, fire officials said.

The fire was discovered shortly after 11 p.m. at a one-story home on the 300 block of Locust Lane in Bel Air, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The home’s occupants smelled smoke and found the fire inside the home’s attached garage, before escaping along with two pet dogs.

A total of 40 firefighters from the Bel Air, Fallston, Joppa-Magnolia, Abingdon, and Kingsville volunteer fire companies brought the fire under control in about 30 minutes. One firefighter sustained minor burns to their neck and arm, and was transported to Upper Chesapeake Medical Center where they were treated and released, according to Rich Gardiner, spokesman for the Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Association.

Investigators traced the blaze back to a mechanical malfunction in the engine compartment of a 2002 Volkswagon Jetta parked in the garage. The fire was largely contained to the garage area, with the remainder of the house sustaining “extensive” smoke, soot and water damage, the State Fire Marshal’s Office said.

Damage to the structure was estimated at $120,000 and damages to its contents were estimated at $50,000. The home’s occupants were being assisted by family and neighbors.