Maryland State Fire Marshal Arrests Hagerstown Man for Arson Following High-Rise Apartment Fire
WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD (November 5, 2025) - The Office of the State Fire Marshal has arrested Stephen Jones, 33, following an investigation into a high-rise apartment fire at Potomac Towers that resulted in the evacuation of nearly 200 residents and injured one firefighter.
Just after 3:00 a.m. on October 26, 2025, the Hagerstown Fire Department initially responded to an automatic fire alarm at the 326-unit, fourteen-story building complex at 11 W. Baltimore Street. During their response, firefighters were informed that there were reports of smoke throughout the building, prompting them to upgrade the incident to an apartment fire, which brought several other area fire departments to the scene.
Due to the fire being located on the eighth floor, firefighters used the building's standpipe system and were able to bring the fire under control within minutes; however, they encountered heavy smoke conditions on the upper floors, where many residents are elderly or have limited mobility, and began evacuating or sheltering occupants in place.
Firefighters were able to rescue Jones from the balcony of his apartment. Community Rescue Service transported Jones to Meritus Medical Center, where he was later admitted.
Deputy State Fire Marshals were requested to investigate the cause and determined that Jones had intentionally set multiple fires within his apartment and had moved his refrigerator and deliberately placed it on its side behind the front door to prevent firefighters from accessing the apartment while it was on fire.
"Any fire in a high-rise building is dangerous, but intentionally setting multiple fires where many residents are elderly or mobility-restricted could have resulted in a catastrophic loss of life," said Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray.
On November 4, 2025, Jones was released from Meritus Medical Center, where Deputy State Fire Marshals took him into custody and transported him to the Washington County Central Detention Center. Jones was charged with first-degree arson, first-degree malicious burning, and reckless endangerment. He is currently being held without bond.
"Hagerstown Fire Department has trained extensively for high-rise fires, and their quick, professional actions ensured residents were evacuated—a clear example of how their training saves lives," Mowbray added.
The Hagerstown Housing Authority owns Potomac Towers and serves residents who are 55 years old or older or have a disability. The fire caused an estimated $300,000 in damage. Displaced residents were sheltered in the building's community room with assistance from the American Red Cross. All residents, except those living in the affected apartments, were able to return later that evening.
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Stephen Jones
 Photo Credit - Hagerstown Fire Department
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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,
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