Sprinkler Extinguishes Fire at Park View at Bel Air;
Cat Reunited With Owner
HARFORD COUNTY, MD (January 26, 2025) - Firefighters and Deputy State Fire Marshals credit an automatic fire sprinkler system with saving a significant property dollar loss and preserving life, including "Betty the Cat," at a multi-unit senior condominium in Bel Air Sunday afternoon.
Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company and surrounding departments were dispatched at around 1:15 p.m. for an automatic alarm that was quickly upgraded to a working fire at Park View at Bel Air, located at 555 South Atwood Road. Upon the fire department's arrival, the building was evacuated, and later, a fire was discovered in the kitchen of a fourth-floor apartment with one activated fire sprinkler.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal was requested to the scene, and the occupant of Unit 421 told investigators he noticed a fire coming from behind his stove and refrigerator. He attempted to extinguish the fire until it grew beyond his control, and the fire sprinkler activated, causing him to retreat and leave his cat "Betty" behind. Fire Investigators determined the fire's origin to be the kitchen, and the cause was accidental due to an electrical failure of the refrigerator. As Deputy State Fire Marshals conducted their investigation, they located "Betty" inside the apartment- wet and meowing. With the assistance of Bel Air firefighters, she was reunited with her loving owner.
The building is a four-story, 101-unit senior living apartment building. Due to the sprinkler activation, only the occupants within the involved unit (421) and units immediately below that unit are temporarily displaced, and friends and family are assisting them.
The investigation determined that the activation of only one automatic fire sprinkler prevented the fire from spreading from the kitchen into the remainder of the apartment. Units 421, 321, and 221 will remain unoccupied temporarily while maintenance personnel clean and remediate the water damage and make necessary repairs to the fire sprinkler system. Damages were limited to an estimated $50,000, and no injuries were reported. The unaffected residents were allowed to return to their units. Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly and Harford County Disaster Assistance responded to the scene to provide assistance and support.
Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray stated, "Residential fire sprinklers are proven to save lives, prevent injuries, protect proper, and in this case, our beloved pets. This is yet another example of how the presence of an automatic fire sprinkler system protected occupants and prevented substantial fire damage to residential property."
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 "Betty" was reunited with her owner after she was found inside the apartment during the course of the investigation. She was reunited by Bel Air VFC Sgt. Cameron
The
Office of the State Fire Marshal is an agency of the Department of
State Police dedicated to helping protect citizens from fire and
explosion through a comprehensive program of education,
inspection, investigation and fire protection engineering. For more
information on fire safety call 1-800-525-3124, log onto our website at: Maryland State Fire Marshal and/or our Facebook Page.
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