Car Fire

Baltimore County police have identified the Carroll County man who was found in a burning car in Upperco last week. John David Metcalf, 48, of the 4600 block of Buffington Lane in Taneytown was found March 12 after county police and fire responded to reports of a vehicle fire in the 4600 block of Black Road. He was dead at the scene. After an investigation, police determined that the engine in Metcalf's vehicle caught fire when he stopped in the parking lot of Grace United Methodist Church in the 4600 block of Black Rock Road.

Two cars were set ablaze early Tuesday morning in Pumphrey, and there was also an effort to burn a recreational vehicle there, Anne Arundel County fire officials said. One of the car fires spread to a mobile home in the community in the northern part of the county, but officials said no one was injured. Several sheds were broken into as well. Division Chief Michael E. Cox said firefighters were called to a car fire around 3:45 a.m. on Coach Lane, and firefighters in a second responding unit spotted the other car fire nearby.

Iris, the county's arson-detecting dog, is earning more praise and pats on the head, this time for sniffing out the cause of a car fire at a Glen Burnie apartment complex. The black Labrador retriever, who has been made an honorary county employee by County Executive Janet S. Owens, found traces of a flammable liquid on the exterior of the burned-out 1996 Oldsmobile. Iris also detected traces of the liquid on a suspect's clothes and on the seat of his car, authorities said. Investigators knew the fire wasn't caused by a mechanical problem or leaking fuel because the engine compartment and the fuel tank were intact, Division Chief John M. Scholz said.

A Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue vehicle collided with a Honda Civic in Ellicott City Saturday night after the car's driver failed to yield the right of way, police said today. The 17-year-old driver of the Honda was taken to Howard County General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, county police said. Two fire-and-rescue employees in a marked Chevrolet Suburban were responding to an emergency call around 10:15 p.m. with lights and siren on when the crash occurred, according to police.

* Hampstead: Firefighters extinguished a car fire on Northbrook Drive at 12:25 a.m. Tuesday.

FIRE* Mount Airy: Mount Airy responded to a car fire in the first block of N. Main St. at 11:08 a.m. Friday.

FireHampstead: Firefighters responded at 10: 15 a.m. Monday to a car fire in the 2700 block of Hampstead-Mexico Road. Units were out 25 minutes.Pub Date: 5/22/96

FireTaylorsville: At 8: 03 p.m. Saturday, Winfield firefighters spent 54 minutes at a car fire in the 4700 block of Ridge Road.Mount Airy: At 5: 11 p.m. Friday, Mount Airy volunteers responded for 15 minutes to a house fire in the 1000 block of Shelldrake Circle in Montgomery County.Pub Date: 12/31/96

Baltimore County police have identified the Carroll County man who was found in a burning car in Upperco last week. John David Metcalf, 48, of the 4600 block of Buffington Lane in Taneytown was found March 12 after county police and fire responded to reports of a vehicle fire in the 4600 block of Black Road. He was dead at the scene. After an investigation, police determined that the engine in Metcalf's vehicle caught fire when he stopped in the parking lot of Grace United Methodist Church in the 4600 block of Black Rock Road.

The Maryland state fire marshal's office is investigating a third car fire in the Bel Air area in less than 24 hours, authorities said. Firefighters were called to the 1700 block of Chesterfield Square just after 12:30 a.m. yesterday for a car fire discovered by a passer-by. Damage to the 1999 Mercury Sable is estimated at $500. The fire was started in the interior of the vehicle, according to the fire marshal's office. The other two vehicle fires occurred in the 100 block of McCormick St. and the 100 block of N. Hickory Ave. Anyone with information should call 410-836-4844.

No one was injured when a parked car burst into flames yesterday at The Mall in Columbia, police and fire officials said. Just before 1:30 p.m., smoke began to pour from a 2000 Nissan Altima that was parked outside the food court area of the mall, according to fire and police officials at the scene. The owner of the car, Donald Gerbrick, said he parked at 1:21 p.m. Fire investigators said the cause of the fire was under investigation but said it appeared to be accidental. They added that that video surveillance footage shows that no one was around the car near the time of the blaze.

The Savage Volunteer Fire Company will hold an open house from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, rain or shine. Visitors will have a chance to learn about safety and try out fire equipment, enjoy snacks and a picnic. A CPR demonstration, drug-awareness programs, and equipment not usually seen by children will be displayed and demonstrated in interactive ways. Children will have an opportunity to try 911 telephones, answer questions that might be asked in case of an emergency, and examine smoke detectors.

In Baltimore City Nephew is charged in fatal stabbing of east-side woman The nephew of a woman found fatally stabbed in her East Baltimore home last week was arrested yesterday and charged with the killing, city police said. Thomas A. White, 46, of the 2000 block of N. Washington St. was arrested in the 3600 block of Pulaski Highway by members of the Warrant Apprehension Task Force on a warrant charging him with first-degree murder. He was being held without bail last night at Central Booking and Intake Center, police said.

A Ford Taurus was set on fire about midnight yesterday in Westminster. A neighbor who spotted the flames helped to extinguish the blaze with a garden hose, the state fire marshal's office said. The fire caused about $1,000 damage to the exterior of the 1997 Taurus, owned by Absolute Relocation Service Inc. It was parked in the first block of Glen Oak Court, according to investigators. Anyone with information is asked to call the state fire marshal's office at 410-875-5450 or the Arson Hotline at 800-492-7529.

Iris, the county's arson-detecting dog, is earning more praise and pats on the head, this time for sniffing out the cause of a car fire at a Glen Burnie apartment complex. The black Labrador retriever, who has been made an honorary county employee by County Executive Janet S. Owens, found traces of a flammable liquid on the exterior of the burned-out 1996 Oldsmobile. Iris also detected traces of the liquid on a suspect's clothes and on the seat of his car, authorities said. Investigators knew the fire wasn't caused by a mechanical problem or leaking fuel because the engine compartment and the fuel tank were intact, Division Chief John M. Scholz said.

Authorities identify Severna Park man killed in Dec. 24 blaze Authorities identified yesterday a Severna Park man who died in a fire at his house early Christmas Eve as Jerome S. Robinson. He was 46 years old and worked as a technician for C-SPAN. Fire officials initially could not confirm the identity of Robinson, who was burned in the fire in the 200 block of Cypress Creek Road. But a forensic dentist was able to match dental records yesterday to verify his name and age, said Anne Arundel County Division Fire Chief John M. Scholz.