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Office of the State Fire Marshal

Man Critically Injured at Carroll County Nursery

News |

CARROLL COUNTY, MD (March 20, 2026) - A 65-year-old man was critically injured after an incident that was initially reported to be an explosion that occurred at Catoctin Mountain Nursery in Keymar on Friday evening.

At around 5:05 p.m., firefighters from Carroll County Department of Fire and EMS of Maryland and Frederick County (MD) Fire & Rescue responded to a reported boiler explosion at the 23-acre nursery at 8051 Sixes Bridges Road. Upon arrival, they found extensive damage, including partially collapsed sections of the building. An overturned vehicle was tangled in the debris.

Three employees were injured, including the 65-year-old man. He was flown to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, where he remains in critical condition. Two other employees sustained burn injuries. Of those two, one was transported by ambulance to JHH Bayview in stable condition; the other refused treatment.

A team of investigators from the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) responded. During their investigation, they confirmed the damage WAS NOT caused by a fire or explosion. Instead, a large hot-water holding tank had ruptured, suddenly spilling its entire 1.1 million gallons of 180-degree water throughout the immediate area. This caused damage consistent with an explosion.

The Carroll County Sheriff's Office - Maryland and the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) responded due to the injured employees.

After concluding its on-scene investigation, the Office of the State Fire Marshal referred the matter to the Maryland Department of Labor Boiler and Pressure Vessel Safety Inspection Unit for further investigation.