A fire last night damaged the on-campus house of the U.S. Naval Academy's chief public affairs officer, who discovered the smoldering blaze after returning with his family from a fireworks display.
Capt. Thomas J. Jurkowsky, his wife, Sally, and their two daughters arrived at the home on Upshur Road on the academy grounds just after 10 p.m. Jurkowsky, 49, walked into the house and smelled smoke, according to neighbors. He warned others not to go inside.
"No one was hurt," said Jean Martini, who lives next door to the house on the north end of the Annapolis campus. "They even managed to get the dog and cat out safely."
Martini said she called the Naval Academy Fire Department, but trucks and paramedics already were on the way.
The three-story, red-brick house is one of several older campus properties, occupied by Navy officers, scheduled for renovation in the coming months. In addition to Jurkowsky, at least one other high-ranking administration official lives on the street -- Capt. H. J. Sanford, executive assistant to Adm. Charles R. Larson, the superintendent.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Martini said she did not see flames and was unable to say what was damaged.
Officials at the academy's fire and police department's refused to answer questions last night.
"No one knows how it started," said Martini, whose husband, Perry, is the academy's deputy athletic director. She said the Jurkowskys planned to stay with friends until the house is determined to be safe.
Pub Date: 7/05/97
