Three Baltimore County police officers and woman hospitalized after house fire in Essex

Oct. 17--Three Baltimore County police officers and an elderly resident were hospitalized after a house fire in Essex on Tuesday night.

Crews were called to a Russell Frost Court house in Essex around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to fire officials.

Nicholas Tyson, a spokesman for the Baltimore County Fire Department, said police officers had arrived before the fire department and had gone into the house first to attempt to put the fire out with extinguishers.They were taken to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, along with an elderly woman who was inside. Tyson said all four people were listed in serious condition.

Tyson said the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Outside the house along with several firetrucks and the insurance adjuster stood the homeowner, Cassandra, who asked to be identified by her first name only. She said she was at the shopping mall when her 90-year-old mother called her cellphone to say there was smoke in the house.

Cassandra then called 911 and a next-door neighbor to assist her mom, who uses a walker, in getting out of the house.

"My mom is doing OK [at the hospital] and my neighbor is with my mom," she said. Fire officials were able to rescue nearly all the family pets -- three dogs: Spike, BB and Kasey, as well at the cat, Mr. Socks, who was hiding.

One pet, the family's bearded dragon, remained missing. "We don't know, but we have the feeling he might not have made it," Cassandra said.

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