LEONARDTOWN, Md. — A firefighter has died fighting a large house fire in Leonardtown, Maryland Tuesday morning. While working to bring the flames under control, the St. Mary's County firefighter fell from the first floor of the home into the basement below, according to emergency dispatch. He has died from his injuries, according to a Naval District Washington firefighter who was providing help.
Firefighters were first called to the 20500 block of Deer Wood Park Drive in Leonardtown, near St. Mary's River State Park, around 5 a.m. for a report of a house fire. Arriving crews found a home in flames. The firefighter who died was one of the first people to enter the home.
After the firefighter was reported to have fallen, a second alarm was called to bring more firefighters to the scene to help. Firefighters from Calvert County and elsewhere were on the scene working to fight the flames.
By 7 a.m., crews on the ground said the bulk of the fire had been extinguished. Emergency crews said the firefighter was trapped and had been rescued. The firefighter was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, where he was pronounced dead. A St. Mary's County volunteer firefighter was also injured. His current condition is not known.
The firefighter was assigned to Patuxent River Naval Air Station. He has not yet been identified.
"We lost a true hero this morning who went in without hesitation to save others and lost his own life in the process," said Capt. Derrick Kingsley, the commanding officer of the Patuxent River Naval Air Station.
Homeowner Richard McNeil was home at the time of the fire, along with his wife and adult daughter. McNeil said his daughter first heard a huge bang, and the three fled the house, thinking lightning had struck. They all made it out safely, and no pets were left behind.
McNeil said he wasn't sure why firefighters went back in.
"All I can say is I'm sorry it happened," McNeil said. "It's hard to explain how it hurts inside."
It is not yet clear whether the home had working smoke detectors. Investigators have not given an estimate for damage to the home.
“This is a tragedy not only on the part of PAX River’s community but the southern Maryland community as a whole," Patrick Gordon, spokesperson for the Patuxent River Naval Air Station. "When we lose one of our own it's deeply felt, because these are firefighters that not only respond on the navy base, but also the community as well.”
Sky9 was over the scene of the fire early Tuesday:
As a sign of respect for the firefighter who lost his life, the Commissioners ordered St. Mary’s County flags to be lowered to half-staff.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The Office of the State Fire Marshal said 15 investigators, about a fourth of the fire marshal's personnel, is actively investigating the cause of the fire.
"This will be an extended operation, and every resource of our agency, along with our partners, will be used to provide answers," the fire marshal's office said in a press release.
Oliver Alkire with the fire marshal's office said the investigators are broken up into teams to gather information, interview homeowners, collect any home surveillance video.
"There is a lot of data to go through before they make a final determination [on cause]," Alkire said.
While investigators are looking into the possibility of a lightning strike, Meteorologist Kaitlyn McGrath said the last reported lightning strike in the area was hours before the fire was first reported, at around 12:50 a.m. Tuesday.
WATCH: Procession escorting body of fallen firefighter from Leonardtown to Baltimore.