LEONARDTOWN — Volunteer firefighters from the Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department responded shortly after midnight on November 21, 2025, to a structure fire in the 40700 block of Merlin Way, quickly extinguishing a kitchen blaze in a two-story single-family residence with no injuries reported.
The alert came at 12:15 a.m. for the reported structure fire in what dispatch designates as the 1-10 box, the primary response area for Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department, known locally as Company 1. Chief 1, Engine 11, and Truck 1 rolled out immediately from the station on Lawrence Avenue.
Chief 1 arrived first on scene to find smoke pushing from the front door of the home. A rapid 360-degree survey of the exterior revealed the fire’s origin in the kitchen. The sole occupant met arriving personnel outside and confirmed all residents had safely evacuated, allowing crews to shift directly to offensive interior operations without search delays.
Engine 11’s crew laid a four-inch supply line from a nearby hydrant, a standard procedure in Leonardtown’s residential subdivisions where water pressure supports aggressive firefighting. They advanced a 1 3/4-inch hoseline — the department’s go-to for interior attacks due to its maneuverability and flow rate — and knocked down the visible fire within minutes.
Truck 1 took positioning for vertical ventilation and overhaul, opening up ceilings and walls to check for hidden extension into voids or the attic, a critical step in preventing rekindles common in modern homes with lightweight construction materials. Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department units, dispatched as mutual aid under St. Mary’s County’s automatic response protocols, stretched a backup line and stood ready while additional companies staged pending size-up.
Once checks confirmed no fire spread beyond the kitchen area, command scaled back the assignment. Chief 2 assumed division supervisor duties during active operations, ensuring coordinated efforts between Leonardtown and Hollywood crews for final ventilation and minor overhaul to remove smoke and secure the structure.
Chief 1 maintained Merlin Way command throughout, with units clearing the scene after roughly one hour of on-site work. The quick containment highlights effective initial actions, including the occupant’s prompt evacuation and early 911 notification.
The department operates under St. Mary’s County’s box alarm system, where the 1-10 designation triggers primary response from Company 1, supplemented by nearest mutual aid like Hollywood’s Company 7 for working fires. This tiered approach, refined over decades, balances rapid intervention with resource conservation in a county reliant on volunteer staffing.
No damage estimates or cause determination have been released pending investigation, typically handled by the Office of the State Fire Marshal for occupied structure fires in Maryland. Residents in similar single-family developments, common throughout Leonardtown’s growth areas, benefit from working smoke alarms and clear escape plans, elements that contributed to the safe outcome here.
Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department continues to emphasize fire prevention education, offering free smoke alarm installations and home safety checks through community outreach programs.