A Pleasant Valley teen-ager was seriously burned in an accidental fire that destroyed his family's home and three cars Sunday night, fire officials said yesterday.

Andrew Phelps, 19, of the 1500 block of S. Pleasant Valley Road was taken to Carroll County General Hospital with first-degree burns to his face. He was treated and released, a hospital spokeswoman said yesterday.

His parents, Joseph and Judith Phelps, were home but not injured, state fire marshals said.

About 100 volunteer firefighters from Westminster, Pleasant Valley, Taneytown, Reese, Union Bridge, Harney, Gamber, Winfield and Littlestown, Pa., controlled the three-alarm blaze within two hours, fire marshals said.

According to fire marshals, Phelps and a friend were replacing a fuel filter in a 1996 Eagle Talon parked in an attached two-car garage about 8 p.m., when gasoline leaking from the car's fuel line burst into flames and spread quickly to the two-story, wood-frame house.

Fire marshals have not determined what caused the gasoline to ignite.

The house, garage, Eagle Talon, a 1989 Chevrolet Celebrity in the garage and a rented 1999 Pontiac parked outside were destroyed. The loss was estimated at $450,000, fire marshals said.

Fire

Pleasant Valley: Firefighters responded at 1: 50 p.m. Saturday to a brush fire in the 2300 block of Hughes Shop Road. Units were out 41 minutes.

Pub Date: 3/30/99