Early Morning House Fire Claims Two Lives in Harford County
HARFORD COUNTY, MD (March 11, 2026) - Investigators with the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Havre de Grace Police Department are continuing to investigate an early morning house fire in Havre de Grace that claimed the lives of two people early Wednesday morning.
At around 1:15 a.m., the Susquehanna Hose Company and surrounding departments responded to 860 Erie Street after neighbors called 911 to report a house fire with reported entrapment. Firefighters arrived to find heavy fire throughout a two-story, single-family home. Firefighters made entry and later located two adult victims in a second-floor bedroom.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will confirm the victims’ identities; however, investigators have preliminarily identified them as the 73-year-old husband and his 85-year-old wife, the homeowners.
A team of Deputy State Fire Marshals, along with detectives from the Havre de Grace Police Department, worked throughout the night and determined that the couple’s adult son awoke to the sound of a smoke alarm. He attempted to go downstairs but encountered heavy smoke and flames. He retreated to his second-floor bedroom, kicked out a window, and jumped to safety. He was not injured.
Deputy State Fire Marshals determined that the fire originated in the first-floor living room. The exact cause remains under investigation. No evidence of criminal activity has been recovered, and investigators will continue to examine all accidental causes.
“Our hearts break for the victims and their loved ones,” said Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray. “In this case, a working smoke alarm alerted the surviving occupant and gave him the critical seconds needed to escape. Tragically, two others were unable to escape. This heartbreaking incident reminds us that while smoke alarms save lives, every second counts in a fire. We urge everyone to make sure smoke alarms are working and to have and practice a home escape plan.”
These are the first fire fatalities in Harford County in 2026. In 2025, Harford County experienced two double-fatality fires in February in Aberdeen and another fatal fire in May.
A joint investigation between the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the local law enforcement agency having jurisdiction is standard procedure for all fatal fires.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal urges all Marylanders to have working smoke alarms on every level of their homes and inside sleeping areas. To learn more about smoke alarm safety or to request a smoke alarm for your home, visit: Get Alarmed Maryland. ###
 Photo Credit - Susquehanna Hose Company
 Photo Credit - Susquehanna Hose Company
 Photo Credit - Office of the State Fire Marshal
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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