Maryland state fire marshal raises alarm over rapid increase in fire deaths: ‘You’ve got to be ready for it’

On the side of every Baltimore firehouse, a white sign adorned with flames presents a stark record: 10 people dead in fires already in 2023. The count serves as a reminder of how lethal fires can be, a reality that city and state officials seek to emphasize since Maryland experienced more deaths in the first quarter of this year than in the same period each year for the past two decades.