Gaithersburg neighborhood tense after Marquis Drive arson

Gaithersburg blaze investigated as arson

A Gaithersburg neighborhood is on edge after an alleged arsonist used explosives to prompt a fire.

GAITHERSBURG, Md. - Montgomery County investigators say a fire at a family’s Gaithersburg home was intentionally set.

The family asked not to be identified because there are still no arrests in the arson and they say they fear for their safety.

Montgomery County firefighters rushed to the scene on Marquis Drive around 4 a.m. on April 1.

Assistant Chief Alan Butsch said they found heavy fire coming through the roof and that the home had started to partially collapse.

He said family, two women and their two kids, was fortunately not there at the time.

"They did discover some incendiary materials on the exterior of the home, specifically on the backside of the house where there was a deck right up against the house," said Butsch. "And there they found some evidence of accelerants. So they are considering the fire to be arson in origin," said Montgomery County Assistant Fire Chief Alan Butsch.

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This neighborhood near Diamond Elementary School has been incredibly supportive.

There have been school fundraisers and a GoFundMe page has raised over $40,000 in a week.

Investigators aren’t sharing anything about potential suspects or motives.

Butsch said there’s a lot that’s being looked at when it comes to motive and investigators aren’t ruling anything out.