Published: May 01, 2008 11:37 am      

Suspicious fire damages city homes

CUMBERLAND - Fire that began in a Pear Street duplex late Wednesday and damaged a neighboring home has been termed suspicious, according to the Cumberland Fire Department.

The 11:58 p.m. fire originated in the vacant residence at 219 Pear in a side room area that previously served as an open porch. The adjoining residence at 217 Pear, where Jason Robert Dillon and Teri Lowery live, sustained heavy smoke damage. Dillon and Lowery were not home at the time.

The fire also extended to the neighboring, unoccupied structure at 221 Pear owned by Kathleen and Barbara Burke of Davidsonville. The property at 217-219 is owned by Gobelly Inc. of Kingsburg, Calif., according to City Fire Marshal Boyce Rogers.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Cumberland fire and police departments. "The fact that the utilities were off and the way the fire started and location of it all make it suspicious," said Rogers.

Rogers said the property at 219 Pear was a "total loss" and damage to 221 Pear was estimated at $30,000. No information was available concerning insurance coverage of the two structures.

The fire was reported in a cell phone call to the Allegany County 911 Joint Communications Division, prompting alert of Cumberland Fire Department, LaVale, Bowling Green, Bedford Road and Bowman's Addition volunteer companies.

The emergency center said one person was taken from the fire scene by Cumberland Fire Department Ambulance to Braddock Hospital for an unknown condition.

Anyone with information about the incident may call Cumberland Fire Department at (301) 759-6484 or Cumberland Police at (301) 777-1600.

"We urge anyone that may have any information in this incident that may help in our investigation to please contact us," said Rogers.



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