UPDATE 4/1/2022: A spokesperson from the Charles County Volunteer Firemen's Association confirmed personnel found an adult female and a child during searches of the residences. Both victims were pronounced dead on the scene.
The Charles County Sheriff's Office Spokesperson Diane Richardson has stated the victims will not be identified until all family members have been contacted and they are not expanding on the relationship between the woman and child.
Richardson provided the following comments. It's unclear if the fire was an accident or if it was started intentionally, an assault happened at the home before the fire, and it is not known who was involved in the assault or whether those involved died in the fire.
The investigation is ongoing and updates will be provided when they become available. On Thursday, March 31, 2022, at approximately 10:30 p.m., firefighters from Waldorf, La Plata, Hughesville and surrounding departments responded to the 3000 block of Heathcote Road in Waldorf, for the reported structure fire. The 911 caller reported they could see fire in a residence across the street from them.
Prior to the arrival of firefighters, 911 dispatchers advised they had received multiple 911 calls reporting the house was on fire and advised there was a domestic disturbance at the same address.
Firefighters arrived on the scene to find heavy fire showing from a two-story multi-family building and requested a 2nd alarm, and a short time later firefighters advised multiple subjects were possibly trapped inside.
Due to holes in the floor, stairs, and a roof collapse, evacuation tones were sounded and all firefighters were ordered to exit the structure.
After all personnel completed accountability checks with incident command, crews re-entered the structures to extinguish the remaining fire.
Approximately 40 minutes into the incident. Firefighters located a deceased female in the original fire building, and reported they're still searching for another missing subject.
The original building on fire was reported as 3070 Heathcote Road, with additional fire damage to 3072 Heathcote Road.
Emergency medical personnel transported an adult male to an area trauma center with unknown injuries. The victim reported he was inside of building 3070.
Charles County Police and the Maryland State Fire Marshal are investigating.
