GWYNN OAK, MD—A 7-year-old boy has died following a Christmas Day apartment fire in Baltimore County.

At just before 12:30 a.m. on December 25, crews responded to an apartment fire with rescue in the 6700-block of Townbrook Drive (21207). First-arriving police and fire units found an apartment building fully involved with heavy fire.

Firefighters rescued a young boy, identified as Clinton Chimobi Ezeamaka, and EMS personnel provided treatment and transported him to Northwest Hospital. He was transferred to the pediatric burn unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

One career firefighter was transported to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

The fire damaged 16 apartment units and rendered them uninhabitable. Seven people were displaced. The Red Cross and the apartment management are working to assist the displaced residents.

Fire commanders called the fire under control at just before 1:45 a.m.

Investigators have determined that the fire began due to improperly discarded cigarettes in the apartment directly below the victim’s third-floor apartment. Investigators found a large volume of combustible materials (clothing and debris) on the balcony of the apartment of origin.

Photo via Baltimore County Fire Department