Crime & Safety Triple Fatal Edgewood House Fire Sparks Criminal Investigation The deadly fire at a townhouse in Edgewood Thursday morning prompted a probe by state, local and federal authorities. Reply A deadly fire broke out in Edgewood on Thursday, May 9. (Office of the State Fire Marshal) EDGEWOOD, MD — Three people died in a house fire in Edgewood Thursday morning, according to fire officials. Nine people lived in the home, and multiple agencies are investigating the deadly blaze, including the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Harford County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). "We are going down the path that this is a criminal investigation," State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci said at a press conference Thursday afternoon in Edgewood. Investigators obtained a warrant to search the house on Simons Court "based on some information we had and also based on the information of this possibly being an illegal boarding house," Geraci said. Nine rooms were set up for people to live in at the residence, and one individual had left the home sometime last week, Geraci said. "We have eight people here that are unrelated," said Geraci, meaning it was considered a lodging house under state fire code. "It's not licensed; it's not documented; it hasn't had any inspections," Geraci said. "We're running a fire investigation, and we're looking at the code side as well." Someone called 911 to report the fire on Simons Court in Edgewood after 2 a.m. on Thursday, May 9, according to Geraci. Fire was visible when crews arrived at the townhouse in the 1800 block of Simons Court, according to the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company, which reported it was first at the scene. Heavy fire conditions were present in the townhouse. There were multiple fatalities and injuries, officials said:<doc-sep>Today’s Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy<doc-sep>Hide Transcript Show Transcript TERRIFYING WITH PEOPLE TRAPPED INSIDE THAT HOME. >> I WAS VERY SCARED. REPORTER: IT WAS THE SHOCK OF A LIFETIME, THE BOARDING HOME SHE SHARED WITH A DISABLED ROOMMATES ON FIRE, AND PEOPLE TRAPPED. SHE WAS RESCUED FROM HER BASEMENT APARTMENT. >> I WOKE UP TO THE SMOKE DETECTOR AND JUSTIN AND HIS MOM, BRENDA, YELLING FIRE, GET OUT, GET OUT. I GOT BURNED A LITTLE. THE ROOF FELL IN THE FIRE HIT ME HERE. I COULDN’T MOVE, I FROZE. >> OH MY GOODNESS. REPORTER: THIS CELLPHONE VIDEO SHOWS HOW QUICKLY THE FIRE SPREAD. >> ME AND MY SISTER IMMEDIATELY STARTED PRAYING BECAUSE WE KNEW PEOPLE WERE IN THERE. REPORTER: SHANTEL BEST SHOT THE VIDEO AND SAYS IT WAS A VERY CHAOTIC SCENE. >> AFTER A WHILE IT JUST GOT BIGGER AND THEN IT STARTED TO COME BACK AND IT SPILLED OVER TO TWO MORE HOMES AND THEY WERE DRILLING AND EVERYTHING. AT ONE POINT, SOMEBODY JUMPED OUT OF THE WINDOW. REPORTER: INVESTIGATORS SAY AT AROUND 2:30 A.M. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE UPPER FLOORS OF THIS TOWNHOME AND SPREAD TO TWO NEIGHBORING HOMES. THREE PEOPLE WOULD DIE INSIDE ON THE THIRD FLOOR, AND TWO WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED. A WOMAN RECEIVED BURNS OVER 70% OF HER BODY AND A MAN JUMPED FROM THE 3RD STORY. >> I JUST CAN’T BELIEVE SHE IS GONE. REPORTER: WHILE INVESTIGATORS HAVE NOT RELEASED THE NAMES OF THE VICTIMS, BRENDA PARKS-SANDERS TOLD US HER SISTER KIMBERELY ANN SHUPE WAS KILLED. SHE TOLD 11-NEWS SHE HAS THEORIES ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, BUT FOR NOW WILL JUST MOURN HER SISTER. >> I CRIED MY EYES OUT, I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT. HAD TO FIND OUT FOR MYSELF AND FIND OUT ALL THE INFORMATION I COULD TO FIND OUT IT WAS HER. I REALIZED SHE WAS STILL IN THEIR. -- IN THERE. REPORTER: AS FAR AS THE INVESTIGATION CONSIDERING ANYTHING CRIMINAL RIGHT NOW, THEY SAY THIS HOME WAS NOT ZONED OR LICENSED TO BE A BORDER HOME, BUT THERE WERE NINE DIFFERENT ROOMS IN IT ARE PEOPLE TO STAY, SO THEY WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT CLOSER AND TALKING TO THE LANDLORD ABOUT THAT WITH POSSIBLE CRIMINAL CHARGES PENDING. AS FAR AS A CAUSE OF THE FIRE, IT REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION. IF IT DOES TURN OUT TO BE ARSON, THE SHERIFF’S OF Advertisement 3 dead, 2 hurt after Edgewood apartment fire Share Shares Copy Link Copy Three people are dead and two others are injured after a townhome-style apartment caught fire in Edgewood.The fire started around 2:30 a.m. Thursday in the 1800 block of Simons Court, said Emily Witty, spokesperson for the Office of the State Fire Marshal.The The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; State Fire Marshal's Office and the Harford County Sheriff's Office are all investigating. Witnesses described the scene as terrifying and said there are people trapped inside.The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner identified one of the victims as Dionne Dominique Hill, 32. Cellphone video shows the drama that unfolded. "Me and my sister, we just immediately started praying because we knew people were in there," witness Shantel Best said. Best shot the video, and she said she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "After a while, the flames got bigger. Lots of people panicking. People everywhere. Firefighters were rushing. Everybody was running at one point. One of the firefighters fell. There was a lot going on," Best said. The fire started in the upper floors of the townhome and spread to two neighboring homes. "Prior to the fire starting, I thought I heard arguing. After a couple of minutes, I looked and I saw some orange glowing, and I went to my window and it was flames, I'm hearing glass breaking," witness Robert Glover said. Glover said he saw a man jump from the third floor and heard someone calling for help from the basement. "It was a female voice saying, 'Help me. Help me. I'm trapped with animals,'" Glover said. "I was very scared," Bobbi Sue Hodge, who is displaced by the fire, said. Hodge was the person screaming. She said one of her housemates rescued her and her dog just in time. "I got woke up to someone yelling, 'Fire. Get out. Get out.' I got burned a little when the roof fell and fire hit me here. I couldn't move. I was froze," Hodge said. Two residents were taken to the hospital with injuries, Witty said. One suffered critical burns to more than 70% of her body and the other broke limbs after jumping from a window to safety, Witty said. "I can't believe she's gone," Brenda Parks-Sanders said.While investigators have not released the names of the victims, Brenda Parks-Sanders told 11 News her sister Kimberley Ann Shupe was killed. "I can't believe she's gone," Parks-Sanders said.She told 11 News she has theories about what happened, but for now will just mourn her sister. "I cried my eyes out. I couldn't believe it. I had to come out here and see it for myself, you know, and find out whatever information I could find out if it really was her. Going to boil down to it she was still in there," Parks-Sanders said. Officials said three additional residents who lived in the basement of the dwelling heard the smoke alarms go off. They, along with a family dog, were able to make it out safely.Officials said nine people live in the home, and one was not in the residence at the time of the fire. Investigators have not released the names of the victims. If the fire is ruled as arson, the Harford County Sheriff's Office said it would lead the investigation.The cause of the fire is under investigation.<doc-sep>
EDGEWOOD, Md. (WJZ) — Three people were killed in a large, fast-moving fire in Edgewood early Thursday morning. The fire broke out in the middle of the night in a townhouse, killing three people and injuring three more. Nine people lived inside the home that was a boarding house for people with disabilities. Those who got out alive couldn’t help but look back and the blaze that took their friends’ lives. The entire top floor is ravaged, the flames eventually go through the roof. WJZ’s Mike Schuh spoke to one of the survivors who said she couldn’t believe that three of her friends are dead. Bobbi Hodges, held her dog Boo Boo, as she spoke to us about surviving the fire. “The smoke detector, I heard it and the people in the basement woke me up, screaming,” Hodges said. Her friends, a man and two women who lived on the third floor didn’t make it. Two others who lived on that floor did make it out but barely. “One individual did jump from a window in order to escape the fire and suffered broken bones to their legs, another individual suffered burns over 70 percent of their body and obviously they’re in very critical condition,” said Emily Witty, with the state fire marshal’s office. “They were all three good people,” said Hodges. “They were all three good people.” She said her friends could have physically gotten out, but she thinks the smoke and flames prevented them. The state fire marshal’s office and the ATF are investigating trying to find a cause. Hodges told WJZ all nine people living inside were smokers. Officials said two others were injured and taken to the hospital. One person was not home at the time of the fire. The fire broke out around 2:30 a.m. Firefighters arrived and quickly called for backup once they saw the severity of the flames.