Maryland Man Dies Trying to Save Son from Fire Potentially Started by Firework

A Maryland man died trying to save his child from a house fire that, authorities say, may have been started by a firework.

On Sunday at around 9:40 p.m., a house in St Mary's County, Maryland, caught fire. Firefighters received a call reporting the blaze and that a child might be trapped inside the house, NBC Washington reports.

The family evacuated the house shortly after the fire broke out, but the father realized his 10-year-old son was not with him. The dad reportedly ran back into the house to try to find and rescue his son.

The unnamed man had called in to report the fire and was speaking to emergency dispatchers while he searched the burning home. Despite the fire, the man stayed in the house looking for his son.

At some point during the call the man stopped responding to the dispatcher.

Responding firefighters found the fire had spread through much of the two-story home. They also found that the 10-year-old boy had safely escaped the fire.

"The child was later confirmed to have safely escaped the home," the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal said in a statement.

Firefighters battled the blaze and eventually subdued the flames. When they entered the home, they found the father dead on the second floor.

"Our hearts are with this family as they face an unimaginable loss," Acting State Fire Marshal Jason Mowbray said in a press statement.

According to the fire marshal's office, the family had been using ground-based sparklers on Sunday to continue their Independence Day celebration. The sparklers were disposed of in a trash can on the family's screened-in back porch.

The fire marshal's office said it is possible the used sparklers managed to withhold enough heat to ignite other trash in the can, which could have then spread to the rest of the home.

The incident is still under investigation by the fire marshal's office.

"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," Mowbray said.

Injuries involving burns and explosives typically increase around the Fourth of July thanks to fireworks.

Approximately 13,000 people were treated in emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries last year, according to CBS News. More than half of all fire-works-related injuries happen between July 1 and July 8, with the bulk on July 4 and 5, according to the broadcaster.