Joppa house fire leaves family homeless, kills cat

A neighbor spotted smoke at a Joppa home Sunday afternoon and called 911, helping get the only person inside out safely before the fire destroyed the house.

What’s Happening: The fire started at about 4:22 p.m. at a two-story home at 3712 Hilltop Drive. Harford County fire investigators say it began on an exterior sun porch and was accidentally caused by a backup generator that was running at the time.

What’s Important: Investigators consider the home and nearly all of its contents a complete loss. Estimated damage is $500,000. Four adults are displaced.

What We Know: The home had lost power during storms the day before. The owners had left the house with the generator running, leaving the owner’s mother there alone. A neighbor spotted the fire and called both 911 and the owner. The owner then called his mother and told her to get out. She tried to find the family’s cat before smoke forced her to leave. The cat is believed to have died in the fire. Smoke alarms were present and activated. No sprinkler system was in place.

By the Numbers: The Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company sent 75 firefighters to the scene. The fire required three alarms and took two hours to bring under control.

The Path Forward: The family is being assisted by friends and family. No outside assistance programs were listed in the fire report.