Forty firefighters from several companies battled a blaze in a home in the Street area of northern Harford County late Thursday afternoon.
The fire was reported around 4 p.m. in a single story rancher in the 600 block of Cherry Hill Road, according to Rich Gardiner, spokesman for the Harford County Fire and EMS Association.
Units from Whiteford, Darlington, Bel Air and Jarrettsville volunteer fire companies in Harford County and Fawn Grove Volunteer Fire Company in nearby Pennsylvania responded to the fire, Gardiner said.
Despite the home being in a wooded area and well back from the main road, the fire was brought under control in 10 to 20 minutes, Gardiner said. There were no injuries reported to firefighters.
The fire began in the kitchen and was reported by a passerby, according to a notice of investigation issued Thursday evening by the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office. The preliminary cause was an electrical malfunction.
Damage to the home is estimated at $50,000 and contents loss is estimated at $25,000, according to the notice of investigation.
The home is owned by Lois Nagle, according to the fire marshal's office. The occupants, Larry and Pamela Kidd, were not home at the time of the fire; however, a family dog died in the fire, the fire marshal's office said.
The occupants are being assisted by the Red Cross and family members.
The fire remains under investigation. The fire marshal's office said the home has working smoke detectors that activated.