Officials ID Victim Of Baltimore County Condo Fire

BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. - WBALTV.com

One woman is dead and several families were displaced after a massive fire in Baltimore County.

County fire officials Monday identified the victim as Rose Lea Salzman, 67.

The two-alarm fire broke out at about 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the unit block of Ewing Drive in Reisterstown.

"The whole backside of the house was just completely in flames, and it started at the bottom and went to the top," said witness Mariel Betskoff.

When fire crews arrived they found the condo fully engulfed in flames. "It was a heavily involved fire and there was a tremendous amount of debris in the house, which hampered firefighting operation and delayed our searches of the structure, so it took us quite a while to find the victim," said Battalion Chief Jonathan Hart.

Hart said it took about an hour to find the victim. She was found dead on the second floor of the condo.

Roddy White was one of the neighbors visibly frustrated because they could not rescue the woman. "I tried all I could to help her man. I tried all I could. I tried all I could," he said.

Neighbors told 11 News that Salzman was well known and well liked. Salzman worked for 31 years as a crossing guard at Timber Grove Elementary School.

"She was a very nice lady. Every time I saw her, I talked to her and she says nice things about me," said 9-year-old Olivia Coleman.

Officials said the fire was caused by combustible materials left on top of the stove.

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