Dog inadvertently ignites Maryland house fire via toaster, resulting in the loss of three family pets

In a tragic twist of events, a dog managed to activate a toaster, sparking a fire that ended up claiming the lives of three other pets in a Maryland residence, as reported by authorities.

Firefighters rushed to the scene at 4319 Foxglove Court in Belcamp in response to a fire at a single-family home just after 5:30 p.m. on Friday, according to a statement from the Abingdon Fire Company.

The firefighting teams were able to bring the blaze under control within approximately 20 minutes.

Fire officials, as reported by Fox 45, confirmed that the homeowners were absent during the fire and no people suffered any harm.

Neighbors rescued two dogs from the home, but a third dog and two cats died in the fire, the outlet reported.

The family’s bearded dragon was later found alive and survived after 24 hours in critical care.

Fire officials said the fire started in the kitchen before spreading to other parts of the home.

It was determined that one of the family’s dogs jumped onto the kitchen counter and accidentally turned on the toaster, igniting nearby combustibles. The dog that switched on the toaster was one of the two that were rescued by neighbors.

The fire was recorded on a Ring home security camera, which showed the dog jumping on the counter and pawing at items and assisted deputy state fire marshals in determining the fire’s point of origin, Fox 45 reported.

Deputy state fire marshals officially ruled the cause of the fire as accidental, according to the outlet.

The house sustained extensive damage from fire, soot, smoke and water.

Officials estimated that about $150,000 worth of structural damage and $50,000 worth of damage to the contents of the home were caused by the blaze.