Published: September 06, 2009 11:22 pm      

Fire destroys Oldtown house

No injuries reported in blaze that leaves property owner, second family homeless

OLDTOWN — No one was hurt but a family pet dog was killed in a house fire late Sunday afternoon in southeastern Allegany County.

Property owner Edward O. May watched as volunteer firefighters from seven Maryland and West Virginia companies worked to control the flames of the white, two-story Opessa Street house, which May said was not insured. Dan Breeding, Oldtown Volunteer Fire Department assistant chief and incident commander, described the home as being a total loss.

May said he and a guest homeless family, including a 12-year-old girl, lived at the home, which he has owned since April, according to online records from the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation. No one was home at the time the fire started, May said. The first call for emergency services came at 4:28 p.m.

“I had a homeless family living with me,” May said. “Now, we’re all homeless.”

Ninety minutes later, May said firefighters had not offered a possible cause of the blaze and were waiting for a state fire marshal to investigate.

The primary structure of the home was built in 1910, according to state records. A makeshift carport was added to the front of the home at some point.

Breeding said firefighters had difficulty battling the blaze because of a lack of water, which was sipped by tankers from a nearby stream and stored in a dump tank in the middle of Opessa Street about six-tenths of a mile from state Route 51.

Upon arrival at approximately 4:35 p.m., Breeding said flames already were shooting out of all the first-floor windows of the home, nestled on a 0.6-acre site along a rural two-lane road. The blaze appeared to be confined to only the front portion of the home. From a visual inspection, it was evident fire and smoke damage reached the back of the home as well.

Firefighters from Oldtown, District 16, Baltimore Pike, Ellerslie, Clarysville, Paw Paw (W.Va.) and Springfield Valley (W.Va.) responded to the scene. Oldtown ambulance and Allegany County Bureau of Police also responded.

May said his elderly parents lived in a trailer next door and didn’t expect much assistant from them. In fact, May said he didn’t expect much help from anyone.

“I’ve been helping people for 30 years,” May said. “And what do you wanna bet, no one will help me re-build this house.”

He and the family lost everything, May said, including the 12-year-old girl’s new school clothes. Anyone wishing to make a contribution can contact May by mail at P.O. Box 26, Oldtown, MD 21555.

Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.