The incident happened around 9:25 p.m. Saturday, May 24, in the parking lot of Tropical Bay Water Gardens in Davidsonville, Maryland. When Anne Arundel County police and fire crews arrived at the local garden center, flames had already fully engulfed a car.

First responders discovered human remains inside the car

After extinguishing them, responders found human remains in the front passenger seat. The remains were sent to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, 7News shared.

The Anne Arundel County Fire and Explosives unit leads the investigation into what caused the fire. Meanwhile, the county’s criminal investigations division is focusing on the circumstances of the death. Police have not said whether they suspect foul play. The involvement of criminal investigators suggests the incident is being treated as more than an accident.

Vehicle fires happen more often than most people realize

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, over 210,000 car fires occurred in 2023. They caused around 345 deaths and more than 1,000 injuries. While many are due to mechanical failure, a smaller number are intentionally set. Only about 4 percent are classified as arson, but those cases often raise serious red flags.

Maryland has seen similar cases before. In March 2024, human remains were found in a burned truck in Quantico. In 2022, a DC resident’s body was discovered in a torched vehicle in Laurel.

Investigators now piece together what happened in Davidsonville. Anyone with information on the car fire is encouraged to contact local authorities.