Spent Fireworks in a Trash Can Started the Fire That Killed a Maryland Dad

A father ran back into a fully engulfed two-story home on the night of July 5. He thought his 10-year-old was still inside. His child had already made it out. He did not.

The fire broke out around 9:40 p.m. on Thornbury Drive in Hollywood, Maryland, about 60 miles southeast of Washington, D.C. The father was found deceased on the second floor. His child escaped safely with no injuries.

Investigators believe spent sparkler fireworks, tossed into a trash can on the home’s screened rear deck after a family celebration, may have started the blaze. This family was doing what millions of families did that Fourth of July weekend.

A Family Celebration That Turned Fatal

The family used ground-based sparkler fireworks earlier that Sunday evening. After the show ended, the spent fireworks went into a trash can on the rear deck.

Leonardtown Volunteer firefighters and surrounding departments were dispatched at 9:40 p.m. Crews arrived to find the home heavily involved in fire. The father had already gone back inside to find his child.

After the fire was out, firefighters found him deceased on the second floor. The child was safe. His name has not been released. The cause of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Why a Trash Can Full of Sparklers Can Burn a House Down

Here is the part most coverage skips.

Sparklers burn at up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, according to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission fireworks safety data. Hot enough to melt metal. A sparkler that looks burned out can still hold enough heat to ignite nearby materials long after it appears cold.

When spent sparklers go into a trash can sitting on a wooden deck, that heat does not disappear. It burns whatever is closest.

Acting State Fire Marshal Jason Mowbray said: “Fireworks don’t stop posing a risk when the show is over. Taking a few extra minutes to soak and properly dispose of used fireworks and sparklers can help prevent a tragedy like this.”

The Same Weekend. Different Cities. Same Pattern.

That same July 4 weekend, an outdoor kitchen fire in Flower Mound, Texas reached the attic before crews could stop it.

A heat source near the exterior of a home during a summer night, as covered in the Flower Mound house fire that started in the outdoor kitchen and sent a warning to homeowners nationwide.

In Maple Grove, Minnesota, a garage fire spread so fast it outpaced mutual aid response, as seen in the Maple Grove home that went up in flames after a garage fire spread faster than anyone expected.

Fire starts somewhere that does not look dangerous. Then it moves. That is the pattern.

If you follow home fire stories as they happen, there is a WhatsApp channel that covers these incidents as they break. Good place to stay ahead.

Why This Matters

In 2025, there were 15 fireworks-related deaths in the United States and an estimated 13,000 emergency room injuries, per CPSC’s 2025 fireworks safety data. Sparklers alone accounted for roughly 1,300 of those ER visits.

Spent sparklers in a trash can on a rear deck. That setup exists in millions of American backyards. Most families do not think twice about it, a pattern that also showed up in the Pheasant Drive fire that jumped a hill and took out a home before firefighters could stop it.

A father thought his child was still inside. He went back in. He did not come out.

Key Takeaways

• Fire broke out at 9:40 p.m. on July 5, 2026, in Hollywood, Maryland
• The father re-entered the burning home to find his 10-year-old
• The child had already safely escaped with no injuries
• The father was found deceased on the second floor
• Investigators believe spent sparklers in a trash can on the deck may have started the fire
• Always soak used fireworks in water and place in a metal container outdoors before disposing

How does your family dispose of sparklers after a July 4 celebration? Did you know they can stay hot enough to start a fire hours later? Drop your take in the comments. This is something most people only learn about after something goes wrong.

Wrapping Up

A father ran back into a burning house because he believed his child was still inside. The child was already safe. He was not. That is the part that stays with you.

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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. All details are based on publicly available reports and official statements at the time of publication. The investigation remains ongoing.