CUMBERLAND — An unattended charcoal grill sparked a Friday fire that damaged a Virginia Avenue home, Cumberland Fire Marshal Chris Ratliff said.
No one was injured in the fire that started about 1:40 p.m. at 204 Virginia. Ratliff said one occupant escaped the home before the fire department arrived. He had been sleeping inside and was alerted to the fire by good Samaritans knocking on the door.
Ratliff said the grill was located on a covered patio. There were no working fire alarms in the residence, which was insured, Ratliff said.
Dozens of firefighters battled the two-alarm blaze for more than three hours.
In addition to the city department, firefighters from LaVale, Bedford Road, Corriganville, Bowling Green, Cresaptown, Shaft, Rawlings, Ridgeley and Wiley Ford responded, as did the Allegany County Department of Emergency Services and LaVale Rescue Squad.
Eastern Garrett Volunteer Fire Company set up a rehabilitation unit to assist the responding firefighters and ambulance personnel.
The last fire units cleared the area about 5:10 p.m.