December 21st, 2022 by WCBC Radio

The Office of the State Fire Marshal, Cumberland Fire Department Fire Marshal's Office, Cumberland Police Department, and C3I continue investigating a deadly house fire in Cumberland that claimed the life of a female resident Tuesday evening.

Just before 5:00 p.m., Cumberland Fire Department responded to a report of a house fire at 525 Columbia Avenue. Firefighters arrived and reported heavy smoke and flames coming from the two-story duplex. The fire was quickly upgraded to 3-alarms bringing firefighters from surrounding departments. Firefighters were able to control the fire within fifteen minutes. In a subsequent search of the home, they located a female victim on the second floor.

The victim was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, where she will be positively identified.

Investigators worked throughout the evening and determined the fire started in the second-floor bedroom; however, the cause remains under investigation.

Investigators could not confirm the presence of working smoke alarms within the home. The Office of the State Fire Marshal stresses to all Maryland residents that smoke alarms are the difference between life and death when a fire breaks out.

A joint investigation between the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the local police agency having jurisdiction is standard operating procedure whenever a fatal fire occurs.