A Maryland father died after reentering his burning Hollywood, Maryland home Sunday night (July 5) to search for his 10-year-old son, fire officials said. The tragic incident, which occurred about 60 miles southeast of Washington, D.C., is being investigated for a possible connection to spent fireworks from the Fourth of July weekend.

According to the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal, crews responded around 9:40 p.m. to a house fire on Thornbury Drive after reports that a child might be trapped inside. Initial reports indicated the father had rushed back into the two-story home to look for his missing child, while the rest of the family had already evacuated.

Investigators later confirmed that the 10-year-old boy had safely escaped the blaze. Firefighters located the father deceased on the second floor after extinguishing the flames.. The victim's identity has not been released, and the body was taken to the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine the official cause of death.

Fire officials are investigating whether used fireworks caused the fire. Preliminary information suggests the family had used ground-based sparkler fireworks earlier that evening, which were then placed in a trash can on the home’s screened-in rear deck. Deputy State Fire Marshals are examining if the discarded fireworks retained enough heat to ignite other materials in the trash can, setting off the fire.

Acting State Fire Marshal Jason Mowbray expressed condolences to the family, stating, "Our hearts are with this family as they face an unimaginable loss." He urged residents to thoroughly soak used fireworks and sparklers in water and dispose of them in an outdoor metal container to prevent similar tragedies. Mowbray added, "Taking a few extra minutes to soak and properly dispose of used fireworks and sparklers can help prevent a tragedy like this."

The investigation remains ongoing as officials try to determine the exact cause of the fire. Firefighters and safety officials continue to remind the public that fireworks can remain hot long after they appear extinguished, making proper disposal critical for preventing fires.

Rachel Elliot