Residential Structure Fire: Edgewater, MD
Date: June 5, 2023
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location/Address: 120 Gambrills Rd, Severn, MD 21144
Type of Incident: Residential Structure Fire.
Description of Structure/Property: 2-story residential home
Injuries or Deaths: One fire fatality, Occupant - Mark A. Harvey, 50 years old.
Assisting Agencies: Annapolis Fire Department, Fort Meade Fire Department, BWI Airport Fire Department, Annapolis Fire Department, Howard County Fire Department, Maryland State Police Aviation Unit.
Other Agencies: Anne Arundel County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Crisis Response, American Red Cross.
Number of Alarms: Working Fire Dispatch
Number of Responding Firefighters: 59
Smoke Alarm Status: Undetermined
Estimated Dollar Loss: Undetermined
Time to Control: 60 Minutes
Discovered By: Police
Area of Origin: Attic
Preliminary Cause: Arson/Intentionally Set by Mark A Harvey.
Previous Release by AACo Police Department on June 6, 2023
On June 5, 2023, at approximately 6:30 p.m., officers responded for an unknown disturbance in the 100 block of Gambrills Road in Severn. Upon their arrival, officers learned that the suspect assaulted an elderly resident inside the home and began destroying property. When confronted by officers, the suspect ran into an open attic access and barricaded himself inside. Officers were in constant verbal contact with the suspect until officers on the exterior of the residence observed smoke coming from the roof/attic of the home. As the smoke and fire progressed, the male appeared in the opening of the attic, and the ceiling collapsed, causing the suspect to fall through. The suspect, who was injured, was removed from the residence by officers and transported to an area hospital for treatment. The elderly victim assaulted by the suspect was also transported to an area hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Updated Information:
The suspect, an occupant of the residence, succumbed to his injuries due to the fire he set during this incident.
The occupant was identified as Mark A. Harvey, D.O.B. 6/7/1973 (50yo) and resided at 120 Gambrills Road, Severn, Maryland.
Anne Arundel County Fire Investigators have determined the fire's origin to be in the attic and the cause of the fire to be Arson/intentionally set by Mr. Mark A. Harvey during negotiations with AACo Police Officers.
This is the third fire fatality in the county this year.
- May 3, 2023-John S. Billing, 54, died from injuries sustained during a fire at his home. The home did have working smoke alarms.
- May 5, 2023 - Anthony Slough, 59, died from injuries sustained during a fire at a home he was living in. The home did not have smoke detectors.