A 71-year-old woman was able to escape her Whiteford home before it was destroyed in a fire early Tuesday morning, a news release from the Maryland State Fire Marshal said.

Around 3:20 a.m., fire crews responded to a dwelling fire on the 4100 block of Prospect Road. When they arrived, they found a two-story home in flames.

Investigators located the homeowner at a neighbor’s house, where she escaped to after being awakened by her smoke alarm. Upon waking up, she discovered the fire and was able to leave the residence and walk down a long gravel driveway to her neighbor’s home, the fire marshal said. The neighbor later called 911.

About 50 firefighters attempted to control the fire, authorities said, but extremely high wings fueled the flames, almost causing the home to collapse.

The fire caused a total loss of the home and roughly $500,000 in damages. The owner’s cat is to be believed to have died in the fire.

The fire’s origin is under investigation and is believed to be accidental, the fire marshal said. The homeowner is being assisted by family and Harford County Disaster Assistance.

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