Hughesville, MD (Jan. 9, 2025) – Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding a fatal fire that claimed the life of a 94-year-old woman Thursday afternoon in Charles County.
Just after 3:00 p.m., the Charles County Sheriff’s Office and EMS responded to a home on Driftwood Place in Hughesville following a report from a friend who had been unable to contact the homeowner for several days. Upon entering the residence, emergency personnel discovered the woman deceased with apparent burn injuries.
The Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Office of the State Fire Marshal, which is leading the investigation into the cause of the fire. While the exact cause remains undetermined, investigators are exploring the possibility that the victim accidentally ignited her clothing while using the kitchen stove.
The victim’s remains have been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy to confirm the cause of death and for positive identification.
The investigation is ongoing, and officials from both the Fire Marshal’s Office and the Charles County Sheriff’s Office are working together, as is standard procedure in fatal fire incidents.
Authorities have not released additional details at this time.
