Published: October 06, 2008 12:05 am         

Maryland Avenue Fire

After falling asleep with stove on, man alerts neighbors to fire

CUMBERLAND — A fire ruled accidental in nature displaced four Maryland Avenue families in two adjacent, two-family buildings early Sunday morning after residents fell asleep with the stove on. No one was injured.

Angelo Lopez, 45, lived in the upstairs apartment at 416 Maryland Ave. with Rosalee Lopez, 63.

“The stove was left on,” said Deputy Chief Donald Dunn of the Cumberland Fire Department and an incident commander on the scene of the 2:35 a.m. emergency call for help. “The knobs were burned off but the metal (grooves) were still in the ‘on’ (position). We think they had gone to bed and left the stone on and didn’t know it was on.”

Cumberland Fire Marshal Boyce Rogers said Angelo Lopez “woke up and heard a loud noise.”

Rogers said Lopez saw the kitchen stove “completely burning” and moved quickly to alert both the downstairs neighbor and the neighbors living at 418-420 Maryland Ave.

After starting on the kitchen stove, the fire broke out the kitchen window and “the house next door (and 416 are) right on each other,” Rogers said of their close proximity. “In fact, their eaves meet. The fire impinged upon the brick wall of 418 and got into the attic of 418-420.”

Dunn said firefighters from five companies, including the volunteer companies from LaVale, Bedford Road, Bowling Green and Bowman’s Addition, hadn’t yet arrived before the fire spread to the second unit.

The LaVale Rescue Squad also responded to the scene while Ridgeley ambulance was placed on standby at the Cumberland Fire Department. No one required medical treatment, Rogers said.

“We hadn’t even got started yet,” Dunn said. “The fire came through the roof on 416 and was into the attic on 418-420. I thought the guys did a really good job knocking (the fire) down.”

Both dwellings are uninhabitable because of damage to the buildings’ roofs. Karen S. Johnson, 52, and James D. Welsh, 31, of 416 Maryland Ave.; Jamie Emerick, 25, and Anthony Muir in 418; and Roger Deter, 54, and Elizabeth Deter, of 420, all were assisted by the local Red Cross.

Three families were taken to the Cumberland Holiday Inn and a fourth family was taken in by family members.

Damage estimates were not available Sunday but officials noted that fire damage was contained to the upper levels of both units. There also is smoke and water damage to each unit.

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