Garage Fire Sparked By Ford Mustang's Engine

CHURCHVILLE, MD — The engine of a 1990 Ford Mustang sparked a house fire that destroyed the garage it was parked in and damaged the nearby home, as well as a neighbor's home.

The fire broke out Wednesday around 3:50 p.m. at the home located in the 2900 block of Grafton Lane in Churchville. According to the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal, the vehicle's owner said he'd driven the vehicle for approximately 15 to 20 minutes and then parked it inside the detached garage. But 20 minutes later, he saw smoke coming from the garage, the state fire marshal's office reported.

The owner attempted to extinguish the garage fire with a garden hose but the fire quickly grew beyond his control. The intense heat and flames damage the owner's home and the neighbor's house, causing an estimated $100,000 in loss of contents and structure damage. The owners were not displaced, the fire marshal's office stated.

Nearly three dozen firefighters from the Level Volunteer Fire Company battled the blaze for around 15 minutes. The fire marshal's office has ruled the fire as accidental due to an unspecified mechanical failure.