HURLOCK, Md. -The Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal has determined that a heat lamp in a small chicken coop caused a large fire Monday afternoon. The Hurlock Volunteer Fire Company received the call at 12:41 p.m. for a home on 6540 Cabin Ridge Rd. The heat lamp is being reported as being too close to some animal bedding.
According to the Office, one person was transported for treatment of smoke inhalation. The occupants of the home are listed as Loretta and Dean McNeal. All the chickens in the coup survived. A neighbor was able to get to the home and open the door to allow dogs that were inside to escape the smoke and heat. No other people were in the home at the time of the fire.
It took the Hurlock Company approximately 45 minutes to get the fire under control. The Fire Marshal estimates the damage to the home as $200,000 and an additional $100,000 of the home's contents are lost due to the fire.