A dry Christmas tree sparked a fire that caused around $50,000 in damage to a Severn home Monday night, Anne Arundel County firefighters said.
Firefighters responded to a house fire around 6:45 p.m. in the 1100 block of Thompson Avenue. No one was home at the time of the fire, which was brought under control in less than 15 minutes.
The Anne Arundel County Fire and Explosives Investigation Unit said the accidental fire involved a dry Christmas tree, with a space heater possibly igniting it.
Christmas trees have led to several fires in Anne Arundel County over the last year.
A two-month-old Christmas tree led to a fatal fire more than a year ago in Annapolis, killing six people and prompting public safety officials to warn residents about the potential fire hazard.
In December, a fire caused an estimated $9 million in damage at the Annapolis Yacht Club. Investigators said it was caused by an electrical malfunction in a pre-lit artificial Christmas tree.
