(Photo: Photo: Kevin G. Gilbert/Herald-Mail Media, www.heraldmailmedia.com)
Explosion sparks massive fire in Maryland
Dustin B Levy, dlevy@eveningsun.com 7:30 p.m. EDT August 25, 2016
Nearly 70 firefighters from Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia are responding to the scene of an active fire and explosion in Washington County, Maryland, according to a news release from the Maryland State Fire Marshal.
The two-alarm fire was reported at a home at 14205 Hollow Road in Hancock, Maryland at 8:51 a.m., according to the news release.
Firefighters work to put out fires following an explosion at a residence in Hancock, Maryland, Thursday. (Photo: Photo: Kevin G. Gilbert/Herald-Mail Media, www.heraldmailmedia.com)
Hancock is about 80 miles southwest of Hanover and 50 miles southwest of Chambersburg.
McConnellsburg Fire Company from Fulton County responded, but there were no companies sent from Franklin County, according to the dispatch center.
Ben Hoopengardner, deputy chief of the Hancock Volunteer Fire Company, told Herald-Mail Media of Hagerstown, Maryland, "it was obvious some type of explosion occurred to the front of the house. There were some cars piled up in the front yard, as well as some of the house laying out in the yard."
Reported fire in Hancock, Maryland on August 25, 2016 (Photo: Submitted)
A female occupant of the 10,000-square foot, two-story home escaped the blaze without injury, according to the news release. An off-duty Maryland State Trooper who lives nearby responded initially, assisting her away from the home.
The Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal has a team of investigators currently on the scene, according to the news release.