Tunnel Network At Bethesda House Prompts Lawsuit After Fatal Fire

BETHESDA, MD — Montgomery County is taking legal action against Bethesda homeowners after a 21-year-old Silver Spring man died in a fire in their home this past September. Officials found an unexplained network of tunnels under the yard and said the home is “dangerous and hazardous to human life and the public welfare,” according to reports.

Askia Khafra was found dead in the home in the 5200 block of Danbury Rd. on Sept. 10. Officials said Khafra died from smoke inhalation and burns from the fire while he was working in the basement.

One of the homeowners—Daniel Beckwitt, 31—was found outside of the home suffering from non-life-threatening injuries. He was taken to a local hospital, police said.

After the fire, Montgomery County deemed the home unsafe because of "deep excavation and extensive network of tunneling and bunkers extending from under and out from the structure," according to WUSA 9.

In October, Montgomery County ordered the homeowners—brothers Daniel and David—to demolish the home.

Court filings obtained by WTOP show The Department of Health and Human Services called the home a public nuisance and said the "severe" conditions made the home unlivable. The agency issued an emergency field notice, which condemned the building on Oct. 2.

The Beckwitts allegedly failed to acknowledge the original county orders issued in October. The Department of Permitting Services issued a second order March 9.

Court attorneys recently filed additional violations against the Beckwitts. The violations cite hoarding conditions in the home and the tunnels, as well as storing and using hazardous materials.

See Related:

• Silver Spring Man Dies In North Bethesda House Fire
• Police Investigating Fatal North Bethesda House Fire

“We don’t know the extent of the tunnels and we don’t know what danger may exist,” Montgomery County Police Capt. Paul Starks said.

FOX 5 reports Daniel Beckwitt is a well known computer hacker who was invited to speak at the hacking conferences DEF Con and ShmooCon.

Beckwitt pleaded guilty to computer fraud in the winter of 2013 for allegedly tampering with University of Illinois email accounts, where he was an engineering student.

Sources told FOX 5 that a bed and a computer were set up in the series of tunnels under the Beckwitt's home.

At about 4:23 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10 authorities responded to a house fire on Danbury Road. After they extinguished the fire, the firefighters entered the house and found the Khafra's body inside the residence, police said.

Daniel Beckwitt was transported to a local hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.

“If necessary, we’re prepared to go to court to make sure remediation we feel is appropriate to the site is actually done,” county spokesman Patrick Lacefield told WTOP.

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Photos via Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Special Operations Battalion Chief & PIO Daniel Ogden