Halethorpe Man Dies After House Fire Attributed to Improper Lighter Use
Fire officials count his death as Baltimore County’s fourth fire fatality of 2026, noting a recent rise in deadly home fires.
Overview
- Dennis Randle, 59, died Friday at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, four days after a Feb. 2 house fire in the 1200 block of Vogt Avenue in Halethorpe.
- Investigators determined the blaze was accidental and caused by the improper use of a lighter.
- Crews arrived to heavy fire on the home’s second floor and found Randle unconscious during a search.
- An adult woman escaped through a window with help from neighbors, and a firefighter was treated at a hospital for minor injuries.
- Baltimore County fire officials said Randle’s death is the county’s fourth fire fatality of 2026 and reported a recent increase in deadly house fires, following four fatalities in all of 2025.