An 87-year-old man died after a house fire that rushed through a home in Cabin John, Maryland, on Monday night. Strong winds may have been a factor in the spread of the fire, officials said.
Alfredo E. Peak was pronounced dead after the blaze in the 6900 block of Anchorage Drive, the Montgomery County fire department said.
His wife managed to make it out of the house.
The Peaks lived on the block for more than 60 years, a family member said. They had two children and were beloved in the community.
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There’s a fire department across the street, but by the time firefighters arrived at about 7:30 p.m., it was already too late.
“We know that a fire will double in size every minute or so,” fire department spokesman Pete Piringer said.
Peak's wife was found conscious and evaluated by medics on the scene. Peak was found unconscious and was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. He was later pronounced dead.
Photos show severe damage to the two-story home.
The fire department believes a plug on the first floor malfunctioned, set a spark and lit the carpet on fire.
County firefighters went door-to-door on Tuesday to provide fire safety information.
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The holiday season is the busiest time of year for firefighters, Piringer said.
“It’s also typically the deadliest time of year, and this, unfortunately, is an illustration of that,” he said.
Peak is the third senior citizen to die in a fire in Montgomery County this year.
