Maryland State Fire Marshal

News Release

Martin OMalley
Governor

Brian S. Geraci
State Fire Marshal

ARSON FIRE AT SPIRIT HALLOWEEN STORE

IN WALDORF
CHARLES COUNTY, MD (October 20, 2014) A team of investigators with the Office of the
State Fire Marshal, Charles County Sheriffs Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
are actively investigating an early morning fire at the Spirit Halloween store located at 2875 Crain
Highway in Waldorf. The store is located next door to the Freds Sporting Store that was intentionally
set on fire after a burglary on October 13, 2014.
At 12:07 a.m. a passerby observed a fire in the front of the Spirit Halloween store and notified
911. Nearly 40 firefighters responded from Waldorf, Laplata, Brandywine, Baden, Hughesville and
Bryans Road Fire Departments and extinguished the fire located just inside the front door within 5
minutes. Smoke and heat created by the fire spread throughout the store and caused approximately
$400,000 in damage to the contents. An additional $100,000 is damage is estimated to the structure at
the front of the business. No injuries were reported during the incident.
Investigators determined an accelerant was ignited at the front door with the assistance of an
accelerant K-9 team. No evidence of theft from the business was observed during the on-scene
investigation.
Anyone having information concerning these incidents is asked to contact the Southern Regional
Office of the State Fire Marshal at 443-550-6820 or the Arson Hotline at 1-800-492-7529.

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The Office of the State Fire Marshal is an agency of the Department of State Police dedicated to helping protect
citizens from fire and explosion through a comprehensive program of education, inspection, investigation and fire
protection engineering. For more information on fire safety call 1-800-525-3124, log onto our website at:
www.mdsp.org/firemarshal and/or http://facebook.com/MarylandStateFireMarshal.
Media contact: Bruce D. Bouch, Deputy State Fire Marshal; 443-324-6876

1201 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD 21208