Body of 94-year-old man discovered in debris of Charles County brush fire

WALDORF, Md. — An 94-year-old man from Waldorf was killed after a brush fire spread into his mobile home on Wednesday. The man was identified as Donald L. Halter by the State Fire Marshal's Office, but the medical examiner has not positively identified the body as of Thursday.

Firefighters from Charles County and Prince George's County were called to a reported brush fire at 11560 Acton Lane in Waldorf around 4 p.m. Charles County Sheriff's Deputies also responded to the call. Crews got to the scene, and found flames had extended into a vacant mobile home on the property. 

Neighbors told investigators that Halter regularly burned trash and brush on his property, and saw him on his tractor earlier in the day. 

"My heart breaks for the family of Mr. Halter," said Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray, "This is a horrific situation that demonstrates the hot weather and dry conditions are not exaggerated, and they affect every one of us. We continuously stress the importance of fire safety within the home; however, Marylanders must also be mindful of the extreme dangers of burning outdoors. Doing any activity involving fire right now can lead to tragedy for you, your loved ones, your neighbors, and your community."

A burn ban is still in effect for Maryland. Under the ban, open-air burning is prohibited. Open-air burning is when any material is burned in the open or a receptacle other than a furnace, incinerator, or other equipment connected to a stack or chimney. It also includes other fires, such as campfires.