HARFORD COUNTY, MD—The Office of the State Fire Marshal is investigating a fire that ripped through multiple townhouses (causing some of them to collapse) and extensively damaged the remaining adjoining units late Saturday night.

At around 10:45 p.m. on May 20, 2023, multiple residents called 911 and reported hearing several explosions in the 4700-block of Witchhhazel Way in Aberdeen. Nearly 70 firefighters responded from Abingdon, Aberdeen, and surrounding departments to the two-alarm fire, which took around two hours to control.

The conflagration caused three of the homes to collapse, with the others sustaining extensive fire, soot, and water damage. The heat from the fire was so intense it caused extensive heat-related damage to multiple other nearby homes. One firefighter sustained a non-life-threatening medical issue. According to investigators, 18 residents were displaced and are being assisted by Harford County Disaster Assistance and Red Cross.

A team of Deputy State Fire Marshals worked throughout the night to determine the origin and cause. They concluded the fire originated within the rear area of one of the middle units. Crews used heavy equipment to remove debris and vehicles that were destroyed because of the fire. The cause remains under investigation.

BGE disconnected the electricity and gas, and Harford County Building and Inspections condemned the block of the homes that was affected. Preliminary estimates for property loss are valued at $5 million.

More in the videos below.

Updated information from the fire on Witchhazel Wy in #Aberdeen.https://t.co/5H2sXooJ1n pic.twitter.com/4cAdKG9efe

— Harford Co., MD Fire & EMS (@HarforCoFireEMS) May 21, 2023