Father dies searching for child during Hollywood house fire possibly caused by fireworks, authorities say

A father died after rushing into his burning Hollywood, Maryland home to try and find his 10-year-old child Sunday night. 

It happened at around 9:40 p.m. Sunday night near Thornbury Drive and Sheffield Court. 

Firefighters from Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Departments and other nearby communities responded to the scene to find the two-story home engulfed in flame. They were told the father had re-entered the home in an effort to locate the child. 

After firefighters put out the flames, they found the father dead on the second floor of the home. The child had managed to escape, authorities said. 

Spent fireworks eyed as caused

Authorities have yet to determine the official cause of the fire, but say the family had been using what they described as "ground-based sparkler fireworks" earlier in the evening, and when they finished, the spent fireworks were tossed in the garbage on the rear deck of the home. Investigators are looking into whether that triggered the blaze. 

Authorities say spent fireworks can retain enough heat to ignite combustible materials long after they may have seemed to have gone out, and that all spent fireworks should be thoroughly soaked in water and left in a noncombustible container outdoors to cool before they are thrown away. 

"Fireworks don't stop posing a risk when the show is over"

"Our hearts are with this family as they face an unimaginable loss," Acting Maryland State Fire Marshal Jason Mowbray said. "As we continue our investigation, we want everyone to remember that fireworks don't stop posing a risk when the show is over. Taking a few extra minutes to soak and properly dispose of used fireworks and sparklers can help prevent a tragedy like this."

Hollywood, Maryland is about 80 miles south of Baltimore.