ABINGDON, Md. — Two senior citizens in Harford County have been displaced after a discarded cigarette ignited a fire at their home.
It happened Saturday around 4:15pm on Suitland Place in Abingdon.
According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office, a neighbor first spotted smoke coming from the attached garage.
The neighbor went knocking on the door to alert the owners, while helping them escape.
Investigators ruled out initial reports suggesting a battery charger or vehicle inside the garage sparked the fire.
Instead, it's believed a discarded cigarette was the culprit.
About 50 firefighters got the flames under control within 30 minutes, but not before it caused about half-a-million dollars worth of damage.
Besides the home being inhabitable, a 2018 Ford Escape parked inside the garage was destroyed.
Crews, however, prevented the fire from spreading to neighboring homes.
