Fire damages Charlotte Hall house

The occupants of this two-story residence on Gershwin Road in Charlotte Hall were able to escape unharmed as a fire damaged the house. According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office, the blaze, which was reported shortly before midnight March 16, resulted in $200,000 damage. Investigators stated the fire originated in a first-floor storage room and may have been sparked by a stand-alone freezer.The Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department was the primary responding company and crews had the blaze under control in 30 minutes. The homeowners are being assisted by family and the American Red Cross, the fire marshal's office press release stated.