Montgomery Road House Fire in Elkridge Was Arson: Police

After a witness saw a man fleeing from a property in Elkridge moments after a fire broke out on the premises, the Howard County Police Department said it was offering a reward for information.

Police said that firefighters were called to a house fire at 12:53 a.m. on Tuesday in the 7300 block of Montgomery Road, between US Route 1 and Old Washington Road. Nobody was home at the time, according to police.

Firefighters and paramedics from Howard, Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties responded, according to a report from the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services.

Fire was showing when crews arrived, and it took approximately 45 minutes to bring the blaze under control, the report said.

One firefighter and one police officer were injured in the blaze, which required an aggressive attack on the first and second floors, the report said.

The police officer was treated for smoke inhalation, according to WUSA 9. The firefighter was injured while putting up a ladder, The Baltimore Sun reported.

Police said on Wednesday that detectives and fire marshals have determined through investigation that the fire was intentionally set, and a witness told police that a man left the property right after the fire broke out.

For information about this case, police are offering a reward of up to $500; to report a tip, contact the Howard County police tip line at 410-313-STOP.