Hebron woman dies in house fire, one of two fatal Maryland blazes

Keith Demko, Salisbury Daily Times

One person died in a Saturday morning house fire in Hebron, one of two fatal fires reported within 12 hours by the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal.

Here's what we know happened.

Fire victim was trapped on second story of Hebron home

On the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, fire crews from Hebron, Mardela, Salisbury and Delmar responded to a structure fire on Quantico Creek Road in Hebron. Crews rescued two occupants from the home, with one of them transported to Tidal Health in Salisbury, and one resident, a woman, died of her injuries. Several pets were lost in the blaze. The American Red Cross was called in for assistance.

Just after 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, the Hebron Volunteer Fire Department and nearby departments were called for a reported dwelling fire at 26357 Quantico Creek Road after the owners reported a fire in the home. When they arrived, it was reported a woman was still inside.

Firefighters later located the unconscious female homeowner on the second floor. She was treated by EMS and taken to TidalHealth in Salisbury in critical condition. The victim, identified as Amy Appleby-Harris, 58, succumbed to her injuries just before 3 p.m.

Deputy state fire marshals worked throughout the day to determine the cause. They concluded the fire originated in the second-floor master bedroom and was caused by smoking.

Investigators confirmed the home did have working smoke detectors at the time of the fire. However, the owners had pre-existing medical conditions that prevented them from freely escaping the home.

A deadly stretch for Maryland fires

This is the second fatal fire within 12 hours the Office of the State Fire Marshal has investigated, coming after a man died in a shed fire in St. Mary's County just after 11 p.m Friday. The cause of that fire remains under investigation, and the victim is believed to be the adult son of the owners.

So far this year, the Office of the State Fire Marshal has recorded two confirmed fatal fires, with another four pending the results of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Hebron house fire claims life of woman, 1 of 2 fatal Maryland blazes

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