An air fryer caught fire as three children were cooking french fries at home alone Tuesday in Edgewood, causing an estimated $75,000 in damages to their town house, according to a news release from the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s office.

Investigators are praising a 14-year-old girl for “remaining calm” when the fire was discovered and helping her brother and sister, ages 10 and 4, get out of the house. She told a neighbor she smelled smoke and they called 911, the news release said.

First responders were called at 12:20 p.m. to the two-story town house on Burlington Court. No one was injured in the fire. Three fire departments spent about 15 minutes working to control the fire. Damages were estimated at $25,000 to the building and $50,000 to its contents.

The Harford County Sheriff’s Office was first on the scene and prevented further damage by closing the front door, according to the release.

The family of five has been displaced and is being helped by Harford County Disaster Assistance.

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