The Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office investigated an Ocean City Fatal Fire, which occurred on Monday night, January 17, 2022, at the 9000-block of Elm Street in West Ocean City.
A Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy was on patrol in the area, when he observed smoke and fire coming from a shed at the rear of the property at approximately 10:50 PM.
The Ocean City Fire Department and Berlin Volunteer Fire Company responded to the scene and quickly extinguished the fire.
Upon notifying the occupants of the property about the incident, it was learned an adult male was living in the shed. The male victim, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries.
The name of the victim is being withheld pending positive identification by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation.
The cause of the Ocean City Fatal Fire is determined to be accidentally caused by a heating appliance located too close to combustibles. No smoke alarms were present in the structure.
Worcester County Fire Marshal Jeffrey A. McMahon reminds the public to “Give space heaters space”, to follow all manufacturer’s instructions on distance from things that can burn, and to always have a working smoke alarm in all sleeping areas.
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