UPDATE 1/10/2025 @11:30 a.m.- According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office, a fire destroyed a two-story, single-family home at 4099 Cortona Drive on Thursday afternoon. The blaze caused an estimated $550,000 in damages, displacing two adults, two children, and three dogs.
The fire, reported at 12:22 p.m., was discovered by the occupant. Smoke alarms were present but did not activate until after the occupants had evacuated due to the fire’s location. The home did not have a sprinkler system or fire alarm installed.
The Prince Frederick Volunteer Fire Department, the primary responding unit, led efforts to extinguish the fire. Fifty firefighters worked for an hour to bring the blaze under control.
The structure was declared a total loss, with $400,000 in structural damage and $150,000 in lost contents. The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced family.
The Fire Marshal’s report lists the cause of the fire as under investigation, with the area of origin also undetermined at this time.
Port Republic, MD (Jan. 10, 2025) – Fire crews from Calvert and Charles Counties responded to a devastating house fire in the 4000 block of Cortona Drive in Port Republic shortly after 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. Despite efforts to contain the blaze, the fire led to the total collapse of the two-story home.
Initial units arriving on the scene found a well-advanced fire engulfing the structure. Firefighters from the Prince Frederick Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) launched an interior attack but were forced to withdraw due to a partial collapse of the building. Following this, command shifted all efforts to defensive operations to ensure firefighter safety. The home ultimately collapsed entirely.
No injuries were reported in the incident. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Firefighting Operations
The North Beach Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) dispatched Tower 1 and Engine 12 to assist with the response. Tower 1, the second truck on the scene, was tasked with hitting hot spots and assisting with overhaul operations. Engine 12 established a fill site at Station 7 to provide water to tankers supporting the firefighting effort.
Units remained on the scene until around 4:00 p.m.
Supporting the Family
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to assist the family during this difficult time. Contributions can be made at: https://gofund.me/4c3d8470.
