Father dies trying to rescue child from MD house fire sparked by discarded fireworks, officials say

HOLLYWOOD, MD. - A Maryland father died Sunday night after running into his burning St. Mary's County home to rescue his 10-year-old son—unaware that the child had already escaped the fireworks-sparked blaze.

What we know:

The blaze was reported around 9:40 p.m. in the 22800 block of Thornbury Drive. Firefighters arrived to find the two‑story single‑family home heavily engulfed in flames.

Crews were told the father had reentered the home to look for the child, who was initially believed to be trapped. After the fire was brought under control, firefighters found the father dead on the second floor.

The child was later confirmed to have made it out of the home safely.

Investigators said the family had been using ground‑based sparkler fireworks earlier in the evening. The spent fireworks were discarded in a trash can on the home’s screened‑in rear deck. Deputy State Fire Marshals are investigating whether the fireworks retained enough heat to ignite combustible materials inside the trash can and spark the fire.

The tragedy mirrors a similar incident that occurred in Loudoun County over the weekend. In that case, improperly discarded fireworks sparked a house fire that caused more than $1 million in damage, displaced three people and a dog and damaged neighboring homes. 

READ MORE: Fireworks spark massive Ashburn house fire on Fourth of July

What they're saying:

Acting State Fire Marshal Jason Mowbray said the agency’s thoughts are with the family and urged residents to remember that used fireworks can remain hot long after they appear extinguished.

Officials added that the public should soak used fireworks in water and place them in an outdoor metal container to cool completely before disposing of them.

What we don't know:

The victim's identity has not yet been released, and his body has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine the official cause of death.