Forest Hill House Fire Under Investigation

FOREST HILL, MD — Crews knocked a house fire in Forest Hill Wednesday afternoon, officials said.

It started in the basement, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

Firefighters said they were called to the blaze in the 2700 block of Sharon Road at 2:51 p.m.

The Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company reported that its personnel and other crews knocked the blaze in less than five minutes.

About 20 firefighters responded, the fire marshal said.

Investigators said the fire originated in the boiler room, and while the cause remains under investigation, the fire marshal could not rule out a mechanical failure within the boiler or flammable objects igniting too close to the boiler.

As a result of the blaze, there was $100,000 in damage, including $50,000 in structural damage, the fire marshal reported, noting extensive heat, smoke and soot damage in the basement.

Nobody was injured, and the family that lives there was not displaced, the fire marshal said.