Shed fire claims the life of a 70-year-old woman in Smithsburg

SMITHSBURG, Md. — Investigators are working to determine the cause of a shed fire that claimed the life of a 70-year-old woman in Washington County on Thursday.

A joint investigation by the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division is currently underway. 

At 4 p.m., firefighters with the Smithsburg Community Volunteer Fire Company and surrounding departments responded to the 22600 block of Cavetown Church Road in Smithsburg for a reported house fire after a neighbor claimed to see smoke.

Firefighters later discovered it was a small shed in the home's backyard.

At the scene, an off-duty firefighter and officers with the Smithsburg Police Department noticed an unconscious woman with severe burns lying in the yard closer to the shed.

They pulled her away and began CPR.

Unfortunately, the victim was pronounced dead.

It took around 35 firefighters about 15 minutes to control the fire, and investigators consider the shed a total loss.

Deputy State Fire Marshals concluded that the shed had electricity and a small kitchen and that, while the cause remains under an investigation, an electrical failure or a cooking fire can not be ruled out.

The victim was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore to determine the exact cause of death and where the victim will be positively identified.

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