One person is in critical condition and three others remain hospitalized Friday after a Christmas tree caught on fire in a Bethesda, Maryland, home on Christmas Day.
Flames broke out at a single-family house in the 10300 block of Fleming Avenue at around 4:45 p.m. on Thursday, causing more than $400,000 in damages, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesperson Pete Piringer.
“They indicate that they had not wanted a tree in a while,” Piringer said Friday morning. “They had some old lights from the 80s on the tree and we believe there was some kind of malfunction according to what they saw.”
Fire officials believe there was an electrical issue with the power strip that ignited the tree.
As of Friday morning, the family remained hospitalized with serious injuries from the fire, including burns and smoke inhalation, Piringer said in a post on X. All of the people who were hurt are adults and at least one is in critical condition.
A dog was also found unconscious and rescued by firefighters. The Great Dane was resuscitated by a veterinarian.
“Residents indicate that they heard a pop,” Piringer said.
Piringer said in a statement on X that it all started in the living room when a power strip near the Christmas tree made a loud noise.
“The fire was actually discovered by the residents even before the smoke alarm activated,” Piringer said Friday morning. “They reacted quickly but they attempted to find a fire extinguisher. In the few moments of that, the room erupted into flames, catching a nearby couch and some other combustibles on fire.”
By the time firefighters arrived, the flames had spread throughout the first floor, leaving significant structural damage.
“The fire extended very rapidly,” Piringer said. “Everybody got out.”
About 65 firefighters responded to the scene and quickly extinguished the fire.
The family who lives in the home is now displaced.
Fire officials initially said five people had been injured. But Piringer later clarified that four people were injured in a Friday update.
Below is a map of where the fire took place:
WTOP’s Jessica Kronzer contributed to this report.