Taneytown house fire claims 2-year-old girl

A Taneytown house fire March 22 in which a 2-year-old died is under investigation, according to a Maryland Fire Marshal news release.

Investigators determined the mother of the child, Emily Brown, left the residence in the 100 block of West Baltimore Street to pick up her 6-year-old son from the bus stop, leaving her 4-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter in the home, the release states.

When Brown returned home, her 4-year-old son was waiting at the front door, saying the attic was on fire. She tried to get upstairs but couldn't get through the smoke and heat, the release states.

Fire departments and emergency medical services responded to the scene at about 3:30 p.m. The fire was extinguished in less than 30 minutes, and the 2-year-old girl was found in her crib and unresponsive.

The girl was taken to the ambulance on scene but could not be revived. The chief medical examiner revealed in a preliminary report that the girl died from smoke and thermal burn injuries, the release states.