According to police, a Montgomery County family was displaced on Wednesday after a plastic bag containing discarded fireworks ignited, causing a major fire at their home on July 4.
According to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue (MCFRS) spokesperson Pete Piringer, firefighters were dispatched to Rosecroft Road near the Manor Country Club in Rockville around 10:45 p.m. and met with significant flames.
More than 75 first responders were rushed to the scene to help extinguish the fire, and one firefighter was taken to the hospital with a non-life-threatening injury.
“This is a pretty large single-family home with unique architecture with the roof structure and so forth,” Piringer explained. “It was very labor-intensive.”
According to police, the family was first alerted to an occurrence when they heard an explosion and saw fire outdoors. There were apparently further reports of explosions before and during the fire. Later, firefighters discovered that five camping-style propane tanks had exploded.
Officials say the family first knew something was wrong when they heard a blast and saw fire outside. Before and during the fire, there were also more accounts of explosions. Firefighters later found out that several propane tanks made for camping had burst.
Update – Rosecroft Rd, SFH; Origin/Cause, plastic bag full of discarded fireworks (purchased out of county) ignited cardboard/plastic fireworks, spread to nearby shrubbery, other exterior combustibles/siding; Damage ~$1.25M; 3 adults, 1 child, 1 pet displaced; 1 FF NLT injury https://t.co/723LnEYVCZ pic.twitter.com/2RKkV9HVLG
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) July 5, 2023
Investigators found that the fire started when someone threw away fireworks that they had bought outside of the county. The fire then spread to nearby shrubbery and the outside of the house.
Everyone who was in the house got out without getting harmed. 3 adults, a child, and a dog have to move.
Piringer said that the damage is believed to be around $1.25 million.
In Montgomery County, it is against the law to own or use any firearms. Code says that people who break the law can be fined up to $1,000 or go to jail for up to six months.
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