Montgomery County Fire and Rescue says a destructive house fire in Dickerson, Maryland, displaced two people on Saturday.
Officials said they got a call from a neighbor Saturday afternoon who saw smoke coming out of the home on Beallsville Road around 4 p.m.
They suspect the weekend’s wave of strong wind gusts and an open damper may have caused fire embers from the fireplace to spread across rooms in the home.
The residents, according to officials, used the fireplace earlier that day.
No one was injured in the blaze, but damages to the home are estimated to exceed $2.5 million.
Fire officials also say that the same house was damaged by a fire in 2012. Afterward, the home was completely rebuilt with an added sprinkler system.
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This time, while the fire is contained, investigators say the home is a total loss.
Firefighters said they planned to remain at the scene of the fire overnight and have cleared the roadway around the home.